From a global perspective, South Korea is a large importer of fish and seafood, importing over CAD1 $3.2 billion in 2010, an increase of 7.48% from 2009. In fact, it is the ninth largest importer of fish and seafood in the world. Its main suppliers are China (33.5%), Russia (16.0%), Vietnam (12.0%), Japan (7.2%), and the United States (3.6%).
South Korea's main fish and seafood imports in 2010 included frozen fish with bones ($844.4 million), frozen shrimp and prawns ($240.9 million), frozen dried and salted octopus ($199.3 million), frozen fish meat ($179.9 million), live fish ($165.7 million) and molluscs ($163.7 million).
In 2010, South Korea exported just over $1.6 billion in fish and seafood products worldwide, an increase of 7.0% from the previous year. Most of South Korea's exports were frozen fish fillets ($208.4 million), frozen fish with bones ($201.6 million), cuttlefish and squid ($115.8 million), frozen skipjack tuna ($115.6 million) and live molluscs ($112.5 million). Top destinations included Japan (48.4%), China (13.5%), and Thailand (6.8%).
