CreatripTeam

South Korea’s pet food industry, a rising export star valued at $161 million in 2023, faces near-total exclusion from China because Beijing requires foreign meat-containing pet foods to be made in factories approved by China — and Chinese authorities have refused to inspect Korean plants since the mid-2010s. Relations soured then amid the THAAD missile-deployment row and restrictions on Korean cultural goods (Hallyu ban). After a recent summit between President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two governments signed seven cooperation agreements and resolved quarantine talks to allow Korean persimmons into China. Because the agriculture ministry that led the persimmon deal also handles pet food, industry players hope this thaw could eventually reopen China to K-pet food exports. For now, no formal pet-food export accord is reported, but Korean brands remain popular with Chinese tourists and buyers at pet fairs, suggesting demand if regulatory access is granted.