South Korea's exports of agricultural products rose 12.3 percent on-year in the first nine months of 2021 on the back of the strong popularity of "hallyu," the Korean wave of pop culture, around the globe.

Outbound shipments of foodstuffs came to $6.1 billion in the January-September period, compared with $5.5 billion posted a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.  

Experts said the Korean Wave generated by K-pop and dramas could turn fans in foreign countries into consumers of South Korean products.

Fresh products accounted for $1 billion, up 9.7 percent on-year, and processed goods took up $5.1 billion, up 13 percent over the period.

In detail, exports of kimchi advanced 14.1 percent to reach $123 million. Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish normally made of fermented cabbage, salt and hot peppers, and is eaten with almost all meals.

Overseas sales of ginseng products also jumped 22.9 percent to $182 million as the demand for healthy foodstuffs grew amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sauces were among popular Korean foodstuffs around the globe as well, with their export volume jumping 16.5 percent on-year to hit $269 million.

Exports of noodles advanced 8.6 percent to $647 million on the growing demand for ready-to-eat products.

By destination, exports to Southeast Asia moved up 21.8 percent to $1.36 billion, and those to Japan advanced 6 percent to $1 billion.

Shipments to the United States rose 5.1 percent to $925 million, and those to China also jumped 15.7 percent to $948 million.

The ministry said it will make efforts to maintain the growth in the fourth quarter, when local farms start their full-fledged shipments of fresh fruits, such as grapes and strawberries. (Yonhap)