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Japanese beer imports topped the list of Korea’s imported beers last year, marking the first time in five years.
The Korea Customs Service reported an increase of 283.3% in Japanese beer imports, reaching $55.52 million.
This comes after a previous decline in Japanese beer imports due to anti-Japanese sentiments following trade restrictions imposed by Japan in 2019.
Japan’s ranking in beer imports plummeted from 1st in 2018 to 9th in 2020 and 2021 but rebounded to 6th in 2022 and claimed the top spot in 2023.
Chinese beer imports faced a decline by 17.2%, slipping from 1st place in 2022 to 3rd in 2023.
The shift is attributed to a controversial incident at a Chinese beer factory last year when a video of a worker urinating into a beer vat went viral.
Despite this, total beer imports reached $218.22 million, while exports amounted to $76.59 million, resulting in a $141.63 million deficit in beer trade balance.
