Jinro to sell Korean rice wine to Japan next week

SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Jinro Ltd., South Korea's largest traditional liquor
maker, said Tuesday that it will begin exporting "makgeolli" to Japan starting
next week, to meet the increasing demand there for the Korean traditional rice
wine.
Makgeolli, milky rice wine with an alcohol percent of 6-7 percent, has recently
found a growing market in Japan on the back of a rise in interest in Korean
culture. Japan's makgeolli market in 2008 expanded 16.8 percent from a year
earlier with more than 50 different products, quadrupling from a year earlier,
being imported to the market.
Jinro said the Seoul headquarter will support product development, while Jinro
Japan Inc., the company's Japanese unit, will engage in retail and marketing
activities for local consumers.
The South Korean company plans to showcase the 1,000-mililiter makgeolli product
next week in western regions of Japan including Kyushu and Okinawa and distribute
it nationwide starting March, 2010, the company said.
"Makgeolli is known to contain high fiber, protein and vitamin levels," the
company said in a statement. "It will satisfy Japanese consumers who value health
and favor weaker liquor."
ylee@yna.co.kr
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