South Korea Exports Record Amount of Kimchi
South Korea exported almost 24,000 metric tons of kimchi in the first half of 2024. That's a new record!
If you find it difficult to imagine just how much kimchi that is, it's about the same weight as 58 Boeing 747 airplanes, each one full of people and bags.
That's a lot of fermented vegetables. Perhaps you're now imagining 58 Boeing 747s filled with kimchi!
The point is, the world loves kimchi. According to The Korea Herald, it has become very popular in the US and Europe, where people are trying to find ways to eat more healthily.
The paper says the increase in exports has also been caused by the popularity of South Korean culture around the world, from K-pop to South Korean movies and shows.
Japan is still the biggest importer of kimchi from South Korea, but imports have decreased by about 11%, to below 9,700 metric tons in the first half of the year.
The US has imported more than 6,600 metric tons of kimchi. That's about the same as 16 of those planes, and an increase of 22% from the first six months of 2023!
The Netherlands, Australia, the UK and Canada all imported more kimchi this year than they did in 2023.
Research has suggested that eating kimchi is good for us, and could help keep our stomachs healthy.
However, it may be a good idea to check how much salt is in the kimchi you're buying — since some kimchi can have a lot of salt, and too much of it isn't good for us.
