Seoul: South Korea's major export fair kicked off Wednesday, with this year's focus on promoting South Korean consumer goods, such as beauty and food products, amid soaring global popularity of Korean culture, the industry ministry said. The 2025 Korea Grand Sourcing Fair (KGSF) is set to run through Thursday in Seoul, bringing together 880 Korean firms and 150 foreign buyers from 30 countries, including U.S.-based retail giant Walmart, Japanese retailer Marui, and Chinese variety store chain Miniso, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.

According to Yonhap News Agency, around 70 percent of Korean participants in this year's event are beauty- and food-related companies, reflecting the global demand for Korean consumer goods, the ministry said. "Accumulated exports of consumer goods have reached US$85.7 billion in the first 10 months of 2025 with the global spread of K-culture," said Kang Kam-chan, deputy minister for trade and investment, calling consumer goods a "new growth engine" for Korea's exports.

Kang stated that the government will devise various support measures to expand the country's shipments of consumer goods amid global trade uncertainties.