The government is moving to nurture 'K-Halal' to expand the global market entry of K-Food. It plans to prepare support measures for all stages, from acquiring halal certification, which is an essential gateway to the Islamic market, to establishing and renovating dedicated production lines and local marketing.
According to coverage by ChosunBiz on the 13th, the Ministry of Economy and Finance is conducting consultations with relevant ministries to include export support for 'K-Halal' in the new government's economic policy direction, 'Economic Growth Strategy,' which will be announced this month.
Halal food is permissible food under Islamic law and must not contain pork or alcohol. Without certification, it cannot be distributed in the Muslim market. The domestic consumer base is minimal, so it is effectively all for export.
The government plans to broaden the scope of mutual recognition with overseas certification bodies to enable exports based solely on domestic certification. To this end, it will also support training procedures for practitioners. It will invest budget expenses to establish and renovate dedicated production lines to comply with halal standards, either by replacing pig-derived collagen with plant-based or other animal-derived materials or by preventing mixing with pork and alcohol.
In addition, it will establish a 'K-Food exclusive hall' in Middle Eastern online shopping malls and expand marketing channels by holding local fairs and buyer invitation consultation meetings. The support targets all corporations producing and exporting halal-certified products, regardless of whether they are large corporations or small and medium-sized enterprises.
The government expects that this support measure will not be limited to certification and facility improvement support, but will also serve as an opportunity to significantly expand K-Food's foothold in the Middle Eastern market. The background for K-Food's ongoing entry into the Middle East includes a consumer base that has become accustomed to Korean food and brands.
In the past, the main backdrop was the rise of the Korean Wave, where Korean food was introduced through dramas and entertainment, but recently, there is an increasing number of Middle Eastern consumers who have visited Korea looking for the food they tasted there. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of Middle Eastern tourists who visited Korea last year reached 41,000, the highest ever.
Furthermore, the fact that major Middle Eastern cities are rising as international business hubs attracting global capital and that their capacity to accommodate overseas brands has increased is also a positive aspect. As local distribution networks expand and overseas dining brands continue to enter, the conditions for K-Food with halal certification to enter the market are gradually improving.
The global halal food market size is projected to grow from approximately $1.403 trillion in 2022 to $1.887 trillion in 2027. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), the volume of exports of Korean agricultural products to the 57 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was $820 million in 2020, $940 million in 2022, and is expected to reach approximately $1.1 billion in 2024, increasing every year. Major exporting countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Some items are already yielding results. Earlier this year, Hanwoo beef became the first in Korea to obtain halal slaughterhouse certification, paving the way for exports to the UAE, and received favorable reviews from local buyers and chefs at the '2025 K-Food Fair' in Dubai in July. Nongshim's Shin Ramyun, Samyang Foods' Buldak Bokkeum Myeon, and ice cream products like Binggrae's Melona have also received halal certification and are expanding sales as products tailored for the Middle East.