SEOUL, South Korea's exports of beverages reached a record high during the first nine months of 2023 in line with the popularity of Korean food and the overall culture, the customs agency said Tuesday.

The export value of beverages, excluding alcoholic drinks and mineral water, amounted to US$529 million during the January-September period, up 6.3 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service.

It is the highest level ever for a nine-month tally.

Last year, the country logged record global sales of its beverages, amounting to $630 million, and it is expected to surpass that number in 2023, agency officials said.

By volume, beverage exports rose 1.3 percent on-year to 425,000 tons during the nine-month period, also a record high.

The growth was led by the rising demand for rice drinks and traditional products, such as persimmon punch. Non-alcohol beer also enjoyed 23.4 percent sales growth during the cited period, the agency said.

By country, exports to China surged 31.5 percent on-year to $151 million, accounting for 28.5 percent of South Korea's total beverage exports.

The United States was the second-biggest market with $70 million of exports, followed by Vietnam with $48 million, the data showed.

South Korean beverages have been sold to 142 nations this year, according to the agency.

During the first nine months of the year, imports of beverages jumped 5.2 percent on-year to $108 million, and the country logged a record trade surplus of $421 million, the data showed.

Source: Yonhap News Agency