Hit Drama to boost exports of Korean Chicken-Ginseng soup to China

Samgyetang, or chicken soup with ginseng, could soon be joining the list of popular Korean dishes in China, now that Beijing has approved imports of the instant variety.

The dish is also expected to get a boost from the KBSTV series"Descendants of the Sun," a smash hit in China, as one episode featured a scene in which characters were seen enjoying the soup.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on Sunday that 11 companies had registered with the Chinese government to start exporting instant samgyetang before June.

The government has been trying to gain entry into the Chinese market for samgyetang since 2006, but Beijing banned it because it classifies ginseng as a medicinal herb.

But a breakthrough came last year at a meeting between President Park Geun-hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who promised to allow imports of kimchi, rice and samgyetang. The two sides have spent more than six months ironing out the details in order to get exports rolling.

(THE CHOSUNILBO)