With the recent spread of Korean Wave content, preference for K-food in the Middle East has moved beyond simple curiosity to become part of everyday consumption. Accordingly, local governments and public institutions in Korea are beginning in earnest to enter the Middle Eastern market with regional specialty products through cooperation with local distribution hubs.

Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Culture and Tourism Foundation (CEO Lee Kyung-yoon, hereinafter the Foundation) announced on the 19th that on the 18th it signed an “Export Business Agreement to Expand Local Entry of Jeonbuk Gastronomic Resources” with Singarea Asian Market (SINGAREA Asian Foodstuff Co., CEO Park Moon-su) in Cairo, Egypt. Under the agreement, the two parties committed to export cooperation totaling USD 100,000.

Through this agreement and the special sales event, the Foundation plans to expand local interest in Jeonbuk’s gastronomic culture and at the same time establish a global promotion base that can be linked to future tourism to Jeonbuk and to Korea. Singarea Asian Market is the largest Asian food distribution channel in Egypt, and is expected to serve as a foothold for Jeonbuk food companies to expand their sales network across the Arab region with Egypt as a base.

At the “Jeonbuk Excellent Food Special Sales Event,” which began simultaneously with the signing ceremony, around 10 items from Jeonbuk food companies, including Namwon gim bugak (fried seaweed snack), handmade choco pies made with Korean rice, tofu konjac noodles, and organic jang (traditional fermented sauces), were presented to local consumers.

An official from the Foundation said, “During the special sales event, we plan to conduct a local consumer response survey to analyze the potential for entry into the Egyptian and Middle Eastern markets and preferred items,” adding, “We will continue to promote Jeonbuk’s gastronomic resources overseas by enhancing their global recognition and linking them with future tourism and cultural exchanges.”

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