President Lee Jae-myung said the country is taking steps to protect the country’s booming cultural cache, launching a new “K-brand” authentication system that will let consumers know if goods they are purchasing are the real deal.
Led by K-pop acts such as BTS, hit Netflix series Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters, the so-called “Hallyu”, or Korean cultural wave, saw content exports hit a record US$14.9bil last year, surpassing overseas sales of computers and home appliances.
The popularity of so-called K-food and K-beauty products, meanwhile, saw exports of agricultural and fisheries products and cosmetics hit record highs of US$12.4bil and US$11.4bil, respectively.
Under Seoul’s new “K-Brand Government Certification System”, consumers will now be able to check whether a product is authentic by scanning a QR code attached to it with their mobile phone, Lee said yesterday.
Over 30 companies have already signed up for the scheme, including Samyang Foods, the maker of Buldak spicy chicken ramen, and Amorepacific, South Korea’s largest cosmetics company. — AFP
