South Korea`s rice cake exports hit fresh high in 2024
South Korea's exports of traditional rice cakes reached a fresh high in 2024, data showed on Wednesday, driven by the growing popularity of Korean food around the globe.
Outbound shipments of rice cakes reached US$91.4 million in 2024, up 17.5 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, reports Yonhap news agency.
The latest figure marks a sharp increase from $34.3 million recorded in 2019.
By destination, exports to the United States amounted to $34 million, followed by the Netherlands with $8 million and Vietnam $6.7 million.
The ministry especially attributed the strong shipments of rice cakes to the growing popularity of "tteokbokki," a spicy street food made with rice cakes.
"Amid the popularity of home meal replacements and Korean entertainment content, the demand for tteokbokki has also increased," an agricultural ministry official said.
