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The East Asian country, which is known for dominating pop music, TV, and movies, now has its sights set on the international market for halal products. Following its success in pop music, TV, and the movie industry, South Korea has begun to concentrate on the global halal market, which caters to the dietary requirements and lifestyle of life of around 1.8 billion Muslims globally.
“The halal food market is a blue ocean with great potential for growth,” Lee Yong Jik, the head of the food export division at South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, told Al Jazeera.
Although traditionally unified South Korea, where the Muslim population is estimated to number less than 200,000, or less than 0.4 percent of the total population, food classified as halal is not easily associated.
However, increasing demand in Korean food and snacks throughout Southeast Asia, location to a loyal and growing fandom of Korean pop culture, has broadened up the possibilities of Korean exporters to a potentially significant prospective customers. The government of South Korea is determined to assist businesses take advantage this emerging trend, providing support which involves food ingredient analysis, certification fee discounts, and events which connect suppliers and buyers altogether.
According to studies conducted by organization DinarStandard, Muslims’ spending on halal food alone hit $1.27 trillion in 2021 and is expected to rise to $1.67 trillion by 2025.
