Exports of Korean traditional foods of kimchi and red pepper paste rose sharply over the past three years on the back of the Korean wave, industry and customs data showed Tuesday.

According to the data, exports of kimchi, a spicy fermented dish usually made with cabbage or radish, came to $88.82 million in the January-October period.

Overall exports of kimchi for all of 2012 are expected to reach $107 million, up from $104.6 million last year, the data indicated.

Outbound shipments of kimchi have risen nearly 20 percent in the past three years, from $88.8 million in 2009.

Gochujang, a traditional condiment made from red chili, saw a sharper increase in exports.

Exports of gochujang reached $19.16 million from January through October, with its overall shipments expected to hit $23 million by the end of the year. (Yonhap News)