Quarter Horse Western Riding Competition 2019

The Korea Quarter Horse Association (KQHA) held the ‘Quarter Horse Western Ring Competition 2019’ on December 2 in Woonjusan Equestrian Park, Youngcheon City, Gyeongbuk Province. Rider Juwan Nam on his horse ‘Jennie’ from Gimcheon Riding Farm won the Grand Prix by scoring a total of 20 points from three competition categories - Barrel racing, Pole bending racing, and Western trail riding. Mr. Nam received a 10 million won cash prize (approximately $9,000). Thirty-one riders participated in the event. KQHA started the annual competition in 2018 with the goal of developing a leisure-recreational horse riding industry in South Korea based on American quarter horses and western riding. Quarter horses, originated from the United States, are known for being rider-friendly and versatile. South Korea currently has around 400 quarter horses, including 200 horses imported from the United States.

Busan International Seafood & Fisheries Expo 2019

ATO Seoul partnered with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) to organize a U.S. Pavilion at the 17th Busan International Seafood & Fisheries Expo 2019, November 6 – 8. The event generated over 35 serious trade leads from Korean seafood importers interested in a range of U.S. fishery products. ATO Seoul exhibited U.S. seafood publications and provided information on U.S. seafood suppliers and U.S. food products to Korean buyers. ASMI participated in the U.S. Pavilion along with two companies supplying Alaskan seafood products to Korea: Trident Seafoods and American Seafoods Asia in Tokyo. South Korea is the United States fifth largest export market for fishery products. U.S. seafood products to Korea totaled $261 million in 2018; frozen Alaska pollack surimi, flatfish, Alaska pollack roe & milt, live lobsters, other fish roe & milt, fish fins/heads/tails/maws/other edible fish offal, atka mackerel, cod, live hagfish, and Alaska pollack fish are the top ten U.S. seafood exports to Korea. The United States is also an important market for Korean seafood. For more information on the Korean seafood market please read ATO Seoul Seafood Products Annual Report July 2019.

Korean Fresh Produce Buyers Delegation to 2019 PMA Fresh Summit, October 16-19

ATO Seoul organized a delegation of twelve Korean fresh produce buyers to the 2019 PMA Fresh Summit, October 16-19. The delegation included buyers from large retail stores, a department store, an online retailer, and a fresh produce distributor. Fresh Summit is the largest event for the global fresh produce and floral supply chain, held annually by the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). ATO leveraged four of the Korean buyers’ participation in Fresh Summit, through PMA’s first-time buyers program and arranged field trips to farms and packers, farmers markets, and retail stores to enhance the buyers’ understanding of the American fresh produce supply chain and consumer trends. The Korean buyers were able to identify current trends of the fresh produce industry, build relationships with industry stakeholders, and have one-on-one meetings with 119 suppliers. As a result, their companies reported $10.9 million in sales of American fresh produce during the show and estimated an additional $58.0 million in sales within the next 12 months. ATO Seoul organized a delegation of twelve Korean fresh produce buyers to the 2019 PMA Fresh Summit, October 16-19. The delegation included buyers from large retail stores, a department store, an online retailer, and a fresh produce distributor. Fresh Summit is the largest event for the global fresh produce and floral supply chain, held annually by the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). ATO leveraged four of the Korean buyers’ participation in Fresh Summit, through PMA’s first-time buyers program and arranged field trips to farms and packers, farmers markets, and retail stores to enhance the buyers’ understanding of the American fresh produce supply chain and consumer trends. The Korean buyers were able to identify current trends of the fresh produce industry, build relationships with industry stakeholders, and have one-on-one meetings with 119 suppliers. As a result, their companies reported $10.9 million in sales of American fresh produce during the show and estimated an additional $58.0 million in sales within the next 12 months.