Chungnam Gim Breaks into Global Markets... Seafood Exports Surpass $200 Million for Third Consecutive Year

Gim Exports Reach Record $215 Million,
Accounting for 93% of Chungnam's Seafood Exports

Collecting soil samples in Chungnam Province / Photo by Chungnam Province

'Chungnam Gim' (laver) served on tables around the world has once again rewritten the export record for Chungnam's seafood products. Despite the global economic slowdown and protectionist trade barriers, Chungnam's seafood exports surpassed $200 million for the third consecutive year, setting an all-time high.

On January 20, Chungnam Province announced that seafood exports in 2025 reached $231 million (approximately 340 billion won), a 7.4% increase from the previous year. This marks the third consecutive year that exports have exceeded $200 million, following $202 million in 2023 and $215 million in 2024.

This achievement ranks Chungnam among the top provinces nationwide. Chungnam recorded the sixth-largest seafood export volume in the country, following Busan ($996 million), Jeonnam ($549 million), Seoul ($535 million), Gyeongnam ($265 million), and Gyeonggi ($243 million).

The driving force behind this growth was, without a doubt, Gim. In 2025, Gim exports increased by 10.2% year-on-year to $215 million, accounting for 93% of Chungnam's total seafood exports. Specifically, exports of dried Gim reached $97 million, while seasoned Gim amounted to $118 million.

Gim exports, which stood at $151 million in 2022, grew by 42% to $215 million in 2025. In particular, dried Gim saw a rapid 76% increase from $55 million to $97 million over the same period, demonstrating the competitiveness of Chungnam Gim.

Other export items included seaweed at $1.1 million, canned seafood at $800,000, dried seafood at $600,000, other seaweeds at $500,000, crustaceans at $250,000, and shrimp at $220,000.

By country, China accounted for the largest share at $52 million, followed by the United States at $49 million, Russia at $19 million, and Japan at $13 million. Australia, Canada, and Vietnam each recorded $8 million, Thailand and Indonesia $7 million each, Germany $4 million, and other countries collectively $56 million.

Going forward, the province plans to continue supporting exports to key markets such as the United States, China, Russia, and Japan, while also diversifying export destinations to emerging markets in Europe and Southeast Asia in order to expand its growth momentum.

Jung Byungwoo, Director of the Fisheries Industry Division of Chungnam Province, stated, "Although external conditions such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by the United States were challenging, the growing global demand for seasoned and dried Gim drove export growth. As the quality and competitiveness of Chungnam Gim have been recognized in the global market, we will pursue sustainable growth through product premiumization and the development of new markets."