Chinese beer imports to Korea decline over Tsingtao 'pee-gate'

Chinese beer imports to Korea have dropped by 2.8 percent, accounting for 16.1 percent of total beer imports. Last year, Chinese beer ranked first.

Imported beers displayed at a supermarket in Seoul. [YONHAP]

While the “pee-beer” video continues to brew trouble for Tsingtao, trade statistics from the Korea Customs Office show that more than $27 million were spent on Chinese beer imports from January to September this year.

It is a 2.8 percent drop compared to imports brought in the same period last year, but still accounts for 16.1 percent of total beer imports, according to the statistics shown Tuesday.

Chinese beer ranks third on Korea’s beer imports. Japan is first, with close to $36 million worth of beer imported, and the Netherlands second, with nearly $28 million in imports.

Just based on liquid mass, Chinese beer places second after Japan, with 33,903 tons (74.7 million pounds) of beer compared to Japanese beer’s 43,256 tons.

Last year, Chinese beer imports placed first for both monetary value and mass.

It is likely that imports for Chinese beer will decline, similar to the aftermath in 2021, when Chinese kimchi imports quickly dropped after a video of a naked man working in a kimchi production area at a Chinese factory emerged. Chinese kimchi imports were reduced by 7.7 percent in 2021 compared to the same time period the year before.

BY IM SEONG-BIN, KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]