**Status of the Korean Food Industry: Decline in the Dining Industry, Growth in Manufacturing**

The Korean food industry is experiencing a wave of change.

Last year, the number of Korean restaurants decreased, while the number of Korean food manufacturers showed an increase.

According to the '2024 Korean Food Industry Status Survey' announced on the 28th by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Food Promotion Institute, the total number of Korean food businesses stood at 504,657, a decrease of 1.6% from the previous year (512,979).

Looking at the industry breakdown, the Korean dining industry accounted for 460,219 locations, which included 433,389 restaurants and 26,830 beverage establishments. In contrast, the number of Korean food manufacturers reached 44,438, with 43,283 in food manufacturing and 1,155 in beverage manufacturing.

The total revenue of the Korean food industry for 2023 amounted to 152.98 trillion won. Among this, the dining industry generated 97.03 trillion won, and the manufacturing sector accounted for 55.95 trillion won. The percentage of total revenue from Korean food items represented 92.7% for the dining sector and 94.2% for manufacturing. Specifically, the Korean dining industry generated 90.11 trillion won, while the Korean manufacturing sector reported 46.76 trillion won in related sales. Consequently, the total sales of Korean food items in 2023 were recorded at 136.87 trillion won.

**Changes in the Structure of the Korean Food Industry and Employment Status**

A representative from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs stated, "The number of Korean restaurants and pubs and the revenue from Korean menu items decreased by 2.1% and 3.9%, respectively, compared to the previous year, while the number of businesses and sales in the Korean manufacturing sector increased by 3.5% and 17.1%." This indicates that the manufacturing sector within the Korean food industry is rapidly growing.

The total number of people employed in the Korean food industry was surveyed to be 1,300,236. The dining industry employs 1,085,950 individuals, with 1,039,407 in restaurants and 56,542 in beverage establishments. In the manufacturing sector, 214,286 individuals are employed, with 205,531 in food manufacturing and 8,755 in beverage manufacturing.

An interesting point is the changing perception of the identity of Korean food.

In the dining sector, 80.7% of respondents reported that the menu offered is close to traditional Korean food (41.8% very close, 38.9% somewhat close), a decrease of 1.9 percentage points from last year's 82.6% (43.3% very close, 39.3% somewhat close). This suggests an expanding recognition of fusion Korean cuisine.

Joo Won-cheol, Director of Food Industry Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, "We will diligently implement policies for the promotion and development of Korean cuisine based on the results of the domestic Korean food industry survey."

According to the Korean Food Promotion Act, 'Korean food industry' refers to industries related to the planning, development, production, distribution, consumption, and export of Korean cuisine. This survey focused on the core sectors of Korean restaurants and pubs as well as Korean food and beverage manufacturing.

More detailed results of the Korean food industry survey can be checked on the National Statistical Portal (KOSIS), the National Agricultural and Food Statistical Service (KASS), and the websites of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Food Promotion Institute.

Image source: Reference material for understanding the article / News1, provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.