On 19 April in Seoul, Minister Song Miryung of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs met with U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Philip S. Goldberg. At the meeting, Minister Song asked for the U.S. government's attention and cooperation, regarding the expansion of exports of Korean agri-food products to the U.S. market. The two sides also discussed ways to expand bilateral trade and future-oriented cooperation in the agri-food products sector.
Ambassador Goldberg remarked that the exchanges of food culture between the two countries are livelier than ever before by saying that K-food is recently gaining in popularity in the United States and 12 states and cities in the U.S., including California, designated Kimchi Day. Since taking office as Ambassador to the Republic of Korea in July 2022, Mr. Goldberg has shown deep interest in Korean dishes and food culture. In November last year, Mr. Goldberg participated in a kimchi-making event with Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
In response, Minister Song expressed deep appreciation to Ambassador Goldberg for his interest in Korean food and culture, and asked for the U.S. government's cooperation on diverse fronts so that Korean food culture and various K-food products, including Korean ramen, kimchi, and frozen kimbap, could reach a larger number of people more widely across the U.S.
In addition, Minister Song and Ambassador Goldberg shared the same view that policy cooperation is necessary to respond to the global food crisis and climate change. Minister Song explained to Ambassador Goldberg the Korean government's policies to transition to low-carbon agriculture and expressed the Korean government's intention to join the SPG Coalition1) whose membership comprises around 20 countries, including the U.S. and the E.U. member states.
Source: \mafra.go.kr