"Japan Won't Buy? Let's Buy It Ourselves"…'Dokdo Rice Crackers' Orders Surge

Rice Snack Company Featuring Dokdo on Packaging Gains Attention
Setback in Japan Export Plans Due to 'Dokdo'
"We Believe National Pride Must Not Be Abandoned"

A rice snack company that included an image of Dokdo on its product packaging has refused demands to "remove Dokdo" and decided to give up exporting to Japan, leading to a surge in orders. On the 16th, multiple online communities spread the story of the baby rice snack company 'Olbareum.' It is known that the company, upon replacing its packaging printing machine in 2021, released products with a photo of Dokdo along with the phrase "Dokdo is Korean territory" printed on the back of the packaging.

[Image source=Captured from Olbareum homepage]

However, this caused obstacles in exporting the snacks to Japan. According to Jeonnam Maeil and the Dokdo Love Movement Headquarters, Olbareum began pushing for exports to Japan from December last year, but despite substantial progress in specific negotiations such as delivering product test reports, the Japanese buyer reportedly demanded, "We can only do business if Dokdo is removed."

At the time, the expected order volume accounted for 15% of the annual sales, and there were some voices suggesting modifying the packaging, but Olbareum did not accept this opinion. Kim Jeong-gwang, CEO of Olbareum, told Jeonnam Maeil, "It was not a decision made without any hesitation. However, the thought that we should not abandon national pride for immediate personal gain was stronger."

As this story became known belatedly on Liberation Day, it attracted public attention. As a result, orders for Olbareum rice snacks surged, leading to announcements about delivery delays. On the 16th, Olbareum posted on its homepage, "We deeply appreciate you calling our product 'Dokdo Rice Snack.' Due to an unexpected surge in orders, all our team members are working hard. However, please understand that there may be some delays in delivery this week due to overlapping holidays and courier non-working days."

Netizens responded with comments such as, "It's a good idea that babies can naturally learn about Dokdo while eating snacks," "It must have been a difficult decision, but I want to help even a little," and "Giving up exports is a tough decision for a profit-driven company, but they are true patriots."