Exports of instant noodles hit record high in January

▲ This Jan. 7, 2024, file photo shows various kinds of instant noodles at a major discount chain store in Seoul. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Feb. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports of instant noodles jumped nearly 40 percent on-year to reach a record high in January on the growing popularity of Korean culture and food, data showed Thursday.

Exports of instant noodles, or "ramyeon" in Korean, amounted to US$86 million last month by rising 39.4 percent on-year, according to the Korea Customs Service (KCS).

It was the highest figure for any January, and the fifth-largest level in monthly terms, the agency said.

Ramyeon exports have been on a constant rise in recent years, in line with the popularity of Korean movies, dramas and music, as well as high demand for ready-to-eat food products, officials said.

Last year, ramyeon exports reached a record high of $952 million by rising 24.4 percent on-year. The export volume also reached the largest amount ever at 244,000 tons, or 2 billion bags, the KCS said. 

Korean instant noodle products were sold to 132 nations, also a record high, last year.

The agency expects the exports to surpass $1 billion this year.

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