S. Korean beer exports to China surge nearly 4-fold in 3 years: data

South Korean beer exports to China shot up nearly four-fold in the last three years, data from a state-run trade promotion agency showed Friday.

According to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), beer shipments to China reached US$91 million in 2018, up 83 percent from $50 million the previous year. The total is 3.6 times larger than the $25 million worth of beer exported by South Korean breweries in 2016, it said.

"The total for last year makes South Korean beer No. 3 among imports sold in China, trailing only Mexico and Germany," KOTRA said.

Mexican exports reached $251 million for the whole of 2018, with corresponding numbers for Germany standing at $191 million.

The latest numbers showed South Korea buying $41 million worth of beer from China in 2018, placing it second among imports after Japanese brands. Asia's fourth-largest economy imported $73 million worth of Japanese beer last year. (Yonhap)