It may not be part of a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but kimchi pops up as a side dish on many holiday tables in Hawaiʻi.
In South Korea, 2025 will likely set a new record for kimchi exports — but thereʻs a twist.
Kimchi does go nicely with holiday turkey, but however itʻs consumed, exports are on the rise.
This week, the Korea Customs Service said that through the first 10 months of the year, the countryʻs overseas sales of the spicy cabbage dish topped $137 million — up about 2% from a year ago.
At this pace, 2025 will set a record.
But at the same time, imports of kimchi to South Korea are climbing even faster and higher. Those are coming from China, where cabbage is cheaper.
The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture says Chinese-grown kimchi is served in a growing number of restaurants around South Korea.
High prices for local cabbage are related to extreme weather thatʻs hit South Koreaʻs cabbage crop in recent years.
According to government figures, Koreaʻs “kimchi trade deficit” is up more than 10% from a year ago — topping $22 million so far this year.
Still, rising exports are part of the governmentʻs plan to promote kimchi as a strategic export, including kimchi day, which was this past Saturday.
It started in South Korea in 2020, and three years ago was adopted in Hawaiʻi.
