Great American Craft Beer & Wine Festival Busan @ Busan Int’l Food Fair & Coffee Show 2018, June 23-24

ATO Seoul, in partnership with a group of Korean alcohol beverage import distributors, organized ‘Great American Craft Beer & Wine Festival’ for the first time in the Busan at its International Food Fair & Coffee Show 2018, June 23 – 24. The fourteen partner import distributors exhibited a wide diversity of products from 26 American craft breweries and 21 wineries. In addition, three USDA cooperators (CWC, CMC, USAPEEC) joined the exhibition and promoted their products as matching foods for craft beer and wine. During the two days of exhibition, over 5,000 consumers in Busan visited the activity and gained understanding about the quality, value and diversity of American craft beer and wine through guided tasting and consultation with the exhibitors. The import distributors also gained contacts with key local wholesale and retail buyers during the exhibition. Busan, the second largest city in Korea, has the potential to emerge as a key regional market for high-value American products such as craft beer and wine as young professionals in the region are fast adopting new trends that are taking place in the leading market in Korea, Seoul. ATO Seoul intends to support the import distributors to expand their marketing reach to Busan, which should generate new business opportunities for American craft beer and wine.

American Quarter Horse Western Riding School / Unjusan Equestrian Park, Yeongcheon City, Gyeongbuk Province, South Korea June 7 – July 3, 2018

The ‘American Quarter Horse Western Riding School’ co-organized by ATO Seoul and the Korean Quarter Horse Association (KQHA) kicked off on June 7. This four week program, led by two professional American trainers from Wild Horsemanship Center, Ocala, FL, will provide leaders of the local quarter horse industry with in-depth, hands-on training on western riding skills. KQHA represents breeders and riding farms of quarter horses in Gyeongbuk province, South Korea who are committed to developing the recreational riding industry based on American quarter horses and western riding fundamentals. The knowledge, skills, and experiences gained by KQHA leaders under this training will be an important stepping stone for KQHA and the local recreational riding industry to support additional export opportunities for American quarter horses in Korea.

U.S. Food Products Showcased at Seoul Food & Hotel Show 2018, KINTEX, May 1-4, 2018

About 40 American companies and trade associations comprising the largest pavilion within the International Hall represented a wide range of products in Korea’s biggest international food and agriculture show, Seoul Food & Hotel 2018. It is clear that renewed enthusiasm for agricultural trade between the United States and Korea is due in large part to the Korea--U.S. Free Trade agreement (KORUS FTA) implemented on March 15, 2012. In its sixth year of implementation, the KORUS FTA has eliminated or reduced duties on many American food products leading to U.S. exports of high-value, consumer oriented products to Korea reaching a record $4.3 billion in 2017. U.S. exhibitors represented a wide array of products including snack foods, beverage products, dairy products, meat and processed meat products, cooking oils, sauces, and desserts. Exhibitors reported making on-site sales of $3.1 million and many quality contacts. In addition, expected sales during the next 12 months totaling $5.9 million were preliminarily reported. For more information on export opportunities to United States’ 5th largest market please visit ATO Seoul Home Page(KORUS FTA).