Seoul: South Korea's imports of coffee beans experienced a notable increase in 2024, with the figures expected to reach unprecedented levels, according to customs data released on Thursday. Imports of coffee beans, encompassing both raw and roasted varieties, totaled USD 1.24 billion last year, marking a 13 percent rise from USD 1.1 billion the previous year, as reported by the Korea Customs Service (KCS).

According to Yonhap News Agency, the volume of imports grew by 5.7 percent year-on-year to reach 194,809 tons in 2024. Brazil was the leading supplier, accounting for 21 percent of South Korea's annual import value and 30 percent of the import volume. Colombian and Vietnamese coffee followed, with shipments amounting to 29,835 tons and 29,781 tons, respectively, last year.

The prospect of a record high in coffee imports this year is strong, as inbound shipments in the first eight months are already approaching the total annual figure for 2024. During the January-August period, imports reached USD 1.17 billion, up 31 percent from the corresponding period the previous year, according to the data.

"If the current pace continues, this year's overall coffee imports are expected to surpass last year's total," remarked a KCS official. In terms of volume, imports rose approximately 1 percent year-on-year to 136,318 tons in the first eight months of 2025.

South Korea has seen a consistent rise in coffee imports since 2018, achieving a peak of USD 1.3 billion in 2022, before a slight decline to USD 1.1 billion in 2023.