1. MARKETING ISSUES

Price of Fresh Harvest Potato This Spring Declines to 40% Level of Last Year due to Increased Acreage [Korean, OSY]

http://www.hankyung.com/news/app/newsview.php?aid=2013051906791

Summary: According to Korea Agro-Fishery Marketing Corporation (aT), price of fresh potato harvested this spring is set at 20,340 won per 20 kg bag, down significantly from last year’s 54,457 won.  aT estimates that due to increased acreage, harvest in May would increase 44 percent from last year.

Hite to Label ‘Malt Content’ on Its Beer from July [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/3/all/20130509/55044323/1

Summary: Hite, a leading brewery in Korea announced on May 9 that it would start adding ‘malt content’ on the label of its all beer products in July.  Hite and other local breweries have been criticized for making low quality beer by using less amount of malt compared to foreign breweries.  Hite commented that ‘malt content’ labeling will help Hite better communicate the quality of its beer to local consumers.  Hite added that most of its beer products use over 70 percent malt ingredient.

2. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

36% of Korean Middle & High School Female Students Who Have Proper Weight Think They are Overweight [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/3/all/20130520/55260989/1

Summary: A survey by Korea National Disease Control Agency reveals that 36 percent of Korean middle and high school female students who have proper weight think that they are overweight.  43.5 percent of female students surveyed said they tried to lose weight within one month.