Exports of ramyeon, kimchi jump amid pandemic

SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- Exports of the Korean staple kimchi and the instant noodle ramyeon posted double-digit growth in the February-May period from a year earlier on increased online purchases amid the new coronavirus outbreak, data showed on Thursday.

In the January-May period, exports of ramyeon and kimchi jumped 36 percent and 37 percent on-year, respectively, to US$249 million and $162 million, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation.

Outbound shipments of ramyeon jumped 40 percent to $55 million in May alone compared to the same month of last year after marking double-digit growth in the previous three months.

Higher demand for ramyeon was also helped by the global popularity of Chapaguri, a signature noodle dish from the Oscar-winning film "Parasite." Chapaguri is a mixture of Chapaghetti, instant black bean noodles, and Neoguri, spicy Korean udon-like noodles.

Kimchi exports also reported double-digit growth from February to May from the same period last year. In May, overseas sales of kimchi soared 60 percent on-year to $59 million, according to the data.

Sales of the two food items have been on the rise as more people opt to stay home and order food online amid virus fears, it said.

In particular, demand for ramyeon is expected to grow further in the United States and Southeast Asia during the current quarter as the COVID-19 virus does not show signs of slowing down globally.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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