FAS/Seoul Monitoring of Media Reporting on Agricultural Issues

Today's Date: Monday, December 28, 2020

For Coverage: December 21 ~  23, 2020

 

Korean Government Confirms Another HPAI Outbreak in an Egg Farm in Yeoju

https://www.hankyung.com/economy/article/202012227153Y

Summary: The Avian Influenza Management Center (AIMC) under the Korean government announced on December 22 that an egg farm in Yeoju city, Gyeonggi province tested positive for high-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).  It was the 19th avian influenza outbreak confirmed this year.  The 150,000 birds in the farm are being depopulated.  

 

KEURIG to Terminate Business with Its Korean Partner, Cuchen

https://www.hankyung.com/economy/article/2020122267261

Summary: KEURIG, a leading capsule coffee supplier in the United States, has informed its Korean business partner, Cuchen, that it will not extend the license contract.  Both parties signed the license contract two years ago, providing exclusive manufacturing and distribution right on the KEURIG brand in Korea to Cuchen.  Cuchen so far sold some 20,000 KEURIG capsule coffee machines in Korea.  The consumers who were using the machines expressed worries as the supply of KEURIG capsules from Cuchen will stop along with the termination of the license contract.  Marketers commented that KEURIG had generated limited success in the capsule coffee market in Korea which is led by strong international brands such as Nespresso and Dolce Gusto.

 

Restaurants Face the Worst Christmas Season as the Government Prohibits Gathering of 5 or More People

https://www.donga.com/news/Economy/article/all/20201222/104582048/1

Summary: The Korean government announced on December 21 stronger social distancing measures to curb further spread of COVID-19, including a prohibition on social gatherings of 5 or more people from December 23.  Restaurants will likely see a sharp decline in consumers during the Christmas season this week.

 

Consumer Purchases of Key Food Products Rise Moderately Despite Elevated COVID-19 Alert

https://www.donga.com/news/Economy/article/all/20201221/104570521/1

Summary: Sales of key food products in leading grocery stores (conventional and on-line) increased 7 to 30 percent during December 14 through 20 after the Korean government raised the COVID-19 alert status to level 2.5, implementing stronger social distancing measures.  Marketers in general did not believe that consumers engaged in panic buying as a result of the COVID-19 alert status increase.  Key products that had increased sales compared to the previous week include rice (up 9 percent in SSG.COM and 25 percent in EMART), bottled water (up 7 percent in SSG.COM and 17 percent in EMART), and canned foods (up 18 percent in SSG.COM and 22 percent in EMART).

 

National Fishery Products Quality Management Services (NFQS) to Manage Fishery Quarantine and Disease Control Issues Exclusively

https://www.hankyung.com/economy/article/202012224246Y

Summary: The Korean government approved a revision to its Fishery Disease Control Act on December 22.  As a result, fishery quarantine and disease control issues, which were previously assigned separately to the National Fishery Products Quality Management Services (NFQS) and the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS), will be managed exclusively by NFQS.  The government explained that this consolidation will bring more efficient and streamlined management of quarantine and disease control issues.