[Next FTA] 5. "I Thought Korea Was the Land of Pork Belly, but Halal Korean Beef?"... K-Food Broadens Its Reach on the March

"Since it's from Korea, I can buy and eat it with confidence. Chinese grapes may cost just a quarter as much, but I can't bring myself to buy them because I'm worried about pesticides."

At the K-Halal Food Festival, held on October 10 at Sunway Pyramid shopping mall near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Carrie Lee, a local woman of Chinese descent in her 30s, sampled Korean Shine Muscat grapes and gave a thumbs-up, saying, "They're really sweet and crisp."

Local Muslims sample Korean Shine Muscat grapes at the K-Halal Food Festival held near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the 10th. aT

◆A turnaround for an FTA-hit product... Grapes race to follow strawberries=When the Korea-Chile FTA was signed in 2004, Korean grapes were among the products most worried about surviving the wave of market opening. But more than 20 years later, Korean grapes, once focused on simply defending their home market, have become a "premium export product" that commands high prices overseas. Improved cultivation practices have transformed the industry, enabling it to make inroads into global markets.

The government has selected grapes as the next strategic product to follow strawberries, Malaysia's top Korean agricultural export, which generates $4 million a year. The plan is to target the local premium niche market with high-quality Shine Muscat grapes and new varieties such as "Gloristar" and "Cocoball," in the face of competition from low-priced Chinese produce. Jang Jeongho, head of the Kuala Lumpur office of the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), said, "Korean grapes, once facing concerns about whether they could survive, have now established themselves as a top-tier brand, securing the best spots in the fruit sections of major Southeast Asian supermarkets."

Fatin Hanan, a Muslim, samples halal Korean beef at the K-Halal Food Festival held near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the 10th. aT

◆Halal certification secured after seven years... Halal Hanwoo targets the ultra-premium market=The festival venue was packed from Saturday morning with local visitors eager to try K-food. The savory aroma of grilling meat at a booth right next to the grape stand drew visitors in. It was the "Halal Hanwoo" booth, a name unfamiliar to many. The prized beef was raised in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province, and brought to Malaysia after receiving strict certification from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM).

Fatin Hanan, a Muslim woman in her 30s, tasted freshly grilled Hanwoo and exclaimed, "I've tried Korean-style BBQ, but this is my first time trying Hanwoo. It's juicy and very tender." She added, "People usually think of pork belly first when they hear K-food, so there's a strong perception that it's not halal. I never expected to get to try halal Korean beef."

Hanan, who visited the festival with her two daughters and husband, is such an avid fan of Korean food that she has tried every item on the menu at Oiso, a Korean restaurant franchise popular with local Muslims. However, she admitted, "Hanwoo tastes wonderful, but it's expensive, so it's true that it's hard to bring myself to buy it often for home." The halal Hanwoo striploin on offer that day sold for 122.75 Malaysian ringgit per 100 grams, more than double the 59.60 ringgit price of Australian beef, which accounts for 70% of the local beef market. It was priced at a level comparable to high-end Japanese Wagyu, which holds a 20% market share.

Getting a single piece of "Halal Hanwoo" onto a Malaysian dining table was almost like threading a needle. JAKIM certification, renowned for being among the strictest in the world, goes beyond basic hygiene and quarantine requirements. In non-Muslim South Korea, an officially recognized Muslim slaughterer must pray and perform religious rites in accordance with Islamic law, and completely drain the blood. In addition, to prevent any cross-contamination with other meats, including pork, every step from slaughter to transport must be completely separated and operated independently. This is why there is only one halal slaughterhouse in South Korea, Handawon FSL, even though the Korean government concluded quarantine negotiations with Malaysia in 2023 after more than seven years of persistent talks.

Although the market has finally opened, efforts to develop it are only just beginning. Jang said, "Because of current logistics conditions, Hanwoo is still distributed mainly as frozen meat, and it is competing fiercely with Australian beef and Japanese Wagyu, which have built up their market presence over many years." He added, "We will build an 'ultra-premium' brand, focusing on high-end local retailers and fine-dining restaurants, and use it to pave the way into the premium gourmet market."

Jang Jeong-ho, head of aT's Kuala Lumpur office, gives welcoming remarks at the K-Halal Food Festival held near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the 10th. aT

◆A gateway to a market of 2 billion Muslims... "Halal certification needs to expand"=The government is positioning Malaysia as a key base for tapping the global halal market. Malaysia is a multiethnic country made up of Malays (70.3%), Chinese (22.4%) and Indians (6.5%), and more than 62% of its population is Muslim. Excluding Brunei and Singapore, it has the highest GDP per capita in Southeast Asia, at about $15,000, giving it strong consumer purchasing power. In particular, obtaining Malaysia's JAKIM certification, considered a global standard for halal products, can open the door not only to ASEAN's 300 million Muslims but also to the Middle Eastern market, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with its population of 2 billion.

At the festival, a cooking class featuring "beef soup" made with halal Hanwoo and halal-certified soy sauce drew an enthusiastic response. The demonstration was led by "Durian Kimchi," a popular local influencer couple and K-food honorary ambassadors for the ASEAN region, with 1.9 million TikTok followers. The couple consists of Mariyam, a Korean wife, and Rizal, her Malaysian husband. They have won over local parents with content about Korean-style meals for young children, including soft tofu stew for babies and japchae.

Influencer couple "Durian Kimchi" lead a Korean cuisine cooking class at the K-Halal Food Festival, held near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the 10th. aT

Mariyam said, "With the K-drama craze, local people's desire to try every Korean dish they see on screen has reached a fever pitch. There are countless local consumers who would open their wallets right away if a product simply had halal certification." She added, "Halal certification needs to expand beyond Hanwoo and fresh fruit to traditional fermented pastes and sauces such as gochujang, doenjang and soy sauce, which are difficult to certify because of the alcohol content from alcohol used in the fermentation process." She emphasized, "Only when Korea's distinctive seasonings can be freely distributed locally will the true culture of 'K-home cooking' become firmly established at Muslim households' dining tables."

Supported by: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Korea Rural Economic Institute

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.