The initiative, carried out with the support of ApexBrasil and the Brazilian Embassy, highlights the complementarity between the countries, the sanitary advances, and Brazil’s capacity to contribute to South Korean supply.
The Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), with the support of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) and the Brazilian Embassy in Seoul, held this Monday (14) the bilateral seminar “South Korea–Brazil: Improving a Successful Partnership in Food Security”, in the South Korean capital.
The meeting brought together authorities, representatives from the productive sector, and other strategic stakeholders to discuss strengthening the partnership between Brazil and South Korea in the trade of animal protein, focusing on food security and the complementarity between South Korean production and Brazilian supply capacity.
The recognition of other Brazilian states as free from Foot-and-Mouth Disease without Vaccination was also on the agenda of the meeting – currently, only Santa Catarina holds this status with the South Korean authorities, which is a mandatory requirement for pork exports to that destination.
The program included presentations by the Minister-Counselor of the Brazilian Embassy in Seoul, Romero Gonçalves Ferreira Maia Filho; the Secretary of Commerce and International Relations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), Augusto Billi; and the president of ABPA, Ricardo Santin.
The presentations highlighted the importance of ongoing dialogue between the public and private sectors of both countries, the role of international trade in diversifying supply sources, and the contribution that reliable suppliers can make to the predictability and security of food chains.
In his presentation, Santin addressed the complementarity between Brazil and South Korea and highlighted the capacity of Brazilian production to meet the sanitary, technical, and commercial specifications demanded by the South Korean market.
“Brazil is not seeking to replace local production. Our role is to complement the supply, offering safe, sustainable, and high-quality products. We have the scale, production diversity, and capacity to meet South Korea’s specific requirements, contributing to the predictability of supply and the country’s food security,” said Santin.
Among the advances presented was the recognition by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOH) of the entire Brazilian territory as free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination. This status reinforces the country’s sanitary progress, the strength of its surveillance systems, and Brazil’s reliability as an international supplier of animal protein.
South Korea occupies a strategic position in the international food trade. According to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the country was the fifth largest importer of pork in the world in 2025, with 723,000 tons in carcass weight equivalent.
Brazil’s presence in this market is growing. Between January and August 2026, South Korea imported 139,267 thousand tons of chicken meat from Brazil, a 42.1% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Revenue generated by shipments reached US$304.714 million, a 61.8% increase. In August alone, 17,335 thousand tons were exported, a 13.2% increase, generating US$37.447 million in revenue, a 15.1% increase.
Brazilian pork exports to the South Korean market also showed growth. In the first eight months of 2026, shipments totaled 19,798 thousand tons, a volume 33.7% higher than that recorded in the same period of the previous year. Revenue reached US$ 46.992 million, an increase of 32.9%. In August, 3,722 thousand tons were exported, a growth of 41.7%, with revenue of US$ 8.482 million, an increase of 34.3%.
The results demonstrate the strengthening of the trade relationship between the two countries and the potential to expand Brazilian participation in supplying South Korea, both in chicken and pork.
“South Korea is one of the most important and demanding consumer markets in the world. Strengthening this partnership allows us to combine the efficiency and scale of Brazilian production with the needs of a market that values security, quality, and regularity of supply. It is a relationship that can advance with gains for both countries,” concluded Santin.
Following the presentations, the seminar concluded with a networking meeting between authorities, representatives from the production sector, and local guests. Promoted by ABPA, with the support of ApexBrasil and the Brazilian Embassy in Seoul, the initiative was part of the international actions of the sector brands Brazilian Chicken, Brazilian Pork, Brazilian Egg, Brazilian Breeders, and Brazilian Duck.
