SEOUL, 23rd November, 2025 (WAM) -- The Republic of Korea's exports of dried seaweed reached an all-time high this year, surpassing US$1 billion for the first time, driven largely by growing popularity in overseas markets, such as the United States, Yonhap News Agency quoted the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries as saying on Sunday.
Outbound shipments of dried seaweed, known as "gim" in Korean, totalled US$1.02 billion as of Thursday, up 13.2 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
The ministry attributed the surge to both the improved quality competitiveness of gim and rising demand in overseas markets, particularly North America and Europe, where consumption has risen sharply in recent years.
By country, the U.S. was the largest importer at US$220 million, up 15.3 percent from a year earlier.
Japan followed with US$210 million, a 13.8 percent increase, while China ranked third with US$100 million, marking a sharp rise of 36.6 percent.