Nearly half of South Korea's imported beer is now Japanese

Nearly half of imports are Japanese

According to trade statistics from the Korea Customs Service, South Korea imported 124,200 tonnes of beer between January and June 2026, 8.1% more than in the same period a year earlier. Of that, 58,305 tonnes came from Japan, up 33.5% from 43,676 tonnes a year before. Japan’s share of total imports also rose in a single year from 38.0% to 46.9%. Total imports grew by 9,337 tonnes, but Japanese beer alone rose by 14,629 tonnes. Imports from the 41 other countries, by contrast, fell by 7.4%. In other words, the growth in Japanese beer more than offset the decline from everywhere else.

Affordable prices and familiarity give a boost

One factor is price. In the first half, the import unit price of Japanese beer was US$0.79 per kilogram. The average across the 42 countries was US$0.88, so Japanese beer was cheaper than that, and cheaper still than a year earlier. It is roughly on a par with beer from Vietnam and China. By contrast, imports from countries with higher unit prices all fell. Dutch beer, at US$1.09 per kilogram, dropped 71.5% from the same period a year earlier to 3,944 tonnes. Beer from the United States and Ireland also declined.

Sales in shops are growing as well. According to Sapporo Breweries, its sales volume in South Korea in the first half of 2026 was up 52% on the same period a year earlier. That follows an already large rise of 59% in the first half of 2025. Industry insiders believe that the weak yen has brought more travellers to Japan, and that more of them are buying again at home the beer they drank on their trip. Familiarity with Japanese brands, together with a sense of premium quality and a favourable image, also seems to be playing a part.

What European readers may want to note

These figures show that Japanese beer is becoming an everyday choice in neighbouring Asian markets, tied to memories of travel. The sharp fall in Dutch beer volumes in South Korea is also a change that the European beer industry cannot afford to overlook. In Europe, too, lagers from Japan’s major brands are relatively easy to find in Asian grocery shops and Japanese restaurants. Many have a clean, crisp taste, so they show their character best when served well chilled alongside sushi, yakitori or fried dishes. As with sake, choosing a beer with the food in mind opens up more ways to enjoy it.