oint Inspection of Cabbage and Radish Distribution Conducted by Related Ministries
- A joint distribution inspection team comprising the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Fair Trade Commission has been organized. This team will inspect the trading and sales status of winter cabbages and radishes, focusing on regional distributors, wholesale corporations, and unfair trade practices.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Fair Trade Commission will conduct a joint inspection of the overall distribution of cabbage and radishes until Friday, January 24, in preparation for the Lunar New Year. This comes as prices of these items have sharply increased.
Despite reduced household consumption of cabbage and radishes after the kimchi-making season and an increased supply to Seoul’s Garak Market due to government supply measures, wholesale and retail prices remain high compared to previous years. Factors contributing to this include increased storage demand by regional distributors and kimchi companies, expectations of further price hikes, and poor harvest conditions for winter cabbages and radishes.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Fair Trade Commission, the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), and the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NongHyup) have formed a joint inspection team. This team will investigate the entire production and distribution processes of winter cabbages and radishes, identify the causes of price increases, and check for unfair practices in the distribution process.
A government official remarked, "Through this joint inspection, we expect not only to achieve reasonable price formation for cabbage and radishes but also to establish fair distribution practices in the market. We will make every effort to ensure consumers can prepare for the Lunar New Year with peace of mind by closely managing the supply of cabbage and radishes."
Prior to this, the government implemented the following measures to address potential shortages of cabbage and radishes during the peak Lunar New Year season and winter:
- Release of Government Reserves: The government released a total of 11,000 tons of available stock, including reserves and regulated output facilities, supplying over 200 tons daily to Garak Market. NongHyup also increased its contracted production volume.
- Tariff Adjustments: The government expedited the application of tariff-free imports for cabbages (27% → 0%, until the end of April) and extended the existing zero-tariff policy for radishes (30% → 0%, until the end of April). Additionally, through agreements, subsidies such as transportation costs are being provided to encourage kimchi companies and regional distributors to release stored volumes into the market.
- Spring Crop Supply Stabilization: According to forecasts by the Korea Rural Economic Institute, the cultivation area for spring cabbages is expected to increase by 4.7% compared to last year (2.5% above the average), and spring radishes by 6.3% (2.9% above the average). This indicates a stable supply for spring crops. To ensure further stability, the government is expanding contracted farming, securing government purchase agreements, and supporting the preparation of seedling reserves.