Gochujang exports likely to continue to set records

Exports of gochujang, or red chili paste, hit an all-time high of $61.92 million last year, up 17.8 percent from 2022, according to Statistics Korea.

A shopper looks at the different brands of gochujang, or red chili paste, displayed at a supermarket in Seoul on Monday. [NEWS1]

A shopper looks at the different brands of gochujang, or red chili paste, displayed at a supermarket in Seoul on Monday.

Exports of the sweet and savory condiment hit an all-time high of $61.92 million last year, up 17.8 percent from 2022, according to Statistics Korea. Gochujang exports first surpassed the $50 million milestone in 2020. It is estimated that gochujang sales hit $15.93 million in the first quarter of this year, up 4.9 percent than the amount sold in the same period last year; should the same amount be sold in all four quarters for 2024, this year's gochujang exports will also cross $60 million.