K-food diplomacy in action at APEC

From bottled water at negotiation tables and liquor served at leaders’ banquets to snacks offered to journalists at the media center, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, doubles as a global showcase for Korean food.

A variety of local food and dining companies are supporting the APEC summit in Gyeongju as official sponsors to promote the global competitiveness and brand value of the K-food industry.

Out of the 66 official sponsors, food-related companies made up 43.9 percent, the highest proportion among all industries, according to the APEC Summit Preparatory Committee.

A three-day special event bringing together iconic local foods began Wednesday at the main APEC summit venue, filling the air with mouthwatering aromas and flavors to whet participants’ appetites.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has set up an outdoor event zone near the International Media Center, dubbed “K-Food Station,” where food trucks from 13 official sponsor companies are showcasing their products for summit delegates and members of the press, officials said.

Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang offers a selection of its signature products, including instant rice meals, seaweed snacks and roasted chestnuts.

At the food truck of the country’s top ramyeon brand Nongshim, visitors can taste a limited-edition instant cup noodle set created in collaboration with Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters.”

Kyochon F&B, the company behind South Korea’s largest fried chicken franchise Kyochon Chicken, fries and serve its signature chicken on site.

One of the food trucks, run directly by the Food Ministry and themed around traditional Korean desserts, serves the beloved Korean street snack of freshly made hotteok — sweet pancakes filled with brown sugar and nuts.

It also offers a variety of traditional sweets, including yakgwa (honey cookies) that have recently gained popularity on social media, soft and chewy jeungpyeon (steamed rice cakes made with fermented rice wine) and crispy yugwa (puffed rice snacks).

One section of the pop-up tasting zone features about 90 halal-certified export products, including ramyeon, kimchi, rice and drinks, with some items offered as souvenirs for visitors.

“We hope this event will serve as an opportunity to sustain global interest in Korean food and culture,” Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryeong said in a statement.

South Korea's exports of food products totaled $8.48 billion during the January-September period, up 8.9 percent from the same period a year earlier, marking the highest figure ever for the first three quarters, according to data released by the Korea Customs Service.

The US, China and Japan ranked as the top three export markets, accounting for a combined 50.2 percent. K-food products have also widely been shipped to APEC member economies, which together accounted for 81.5 percent of overall shipments.

"We expect the popularity of the Netflix animation 'KPop Demon Hunters' and the APEC summit to have a positive impact on K-foods and their brand recognition," the customs agency said.