South Korean exports of red pepper paste and sauces reached an all-time high last year on the back of the growing popularity of Korean food and cultural content, the Korean customs agency said.

Overseas shipments of gochujang, soy sauce and various kinds of seasonings amounted to $384 million in 2023, rising 6.2 percent on-year, according to the Korea Customs Service.

In terms of volume, the country shipped 131,800 metric tons of such items last year, the second-largest amount ever after 2021, when the country exported 132,000 tons, the data showed.

By item, sauces accounted for the largest share with $240.1 million, which include soy sauce for making “bulgogi,” or Korean BBQ, and spicy hot chicken sauce, or “buldak” sauce, followed by bean-based pastes, such as “doenjang,” with $111 million.

The US was the No. 1 market with 21.8 percent of the total, followed by China, Japan, Russia and Vietnam. (Yonhap)