Hwasun County Achieves Korea's First Export of Chunlan Orchids to China

"Globalizing Korea's Traditional Orchid Culture"

Hwasun County in South Jeolla Province is expected to set a new milestone for the Korean floriculture industry by exporting Korean spring orchids (Chunlan) to China for the first time in history.

Interior view of a greenhouse cultivating Korean spring orchids for export. Provided by Hwasun County

According to the county on October 16, this export was made possible through the collaboration of the Hwasun Orchid Agricultural Corporation, Hwasun County Office, South Jeolla Province, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, and the Yeongsangang River Basin Environmental Office.

The first shipment will consist of 500 Chunlan plants and is scheduled to be shipped to a local distributor in Nanjing Town, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, China at the end of October. This export goes beyond the simple sale of varieties, aiming to expand floricultural exchanges between Korea and China and to globalize Korea's traditional orchid culture. Through subsequent second and third shipments, the county plans to achieve total sales of 100 million won.

The county has long been known as the "home of Chunlan" and possesses a large number of superior varieties from the Hwasun region. In particular, since 2023, the county has been actively promoting the industrialization of orchids, producing the highest quality orchids in the country.

Governor Koo Bokgyu stated, "This export marks the beginning of Hwasun Chunlan's entry into the global market," adding, "Exporting to China proves the quality competitiveness of Hwasun Chunlan to the world, and we plan to steadily expand our market to China, Japan, and other Asian countries in the future."