Once a savory companion to rice on Korean tables, Korean dried seaweed, or gim, has risen to global fame. Yet do you really know about it -- and if so, how much?
Discover more below: The expanding role of gim in Korea’s economy, and, in parallel, the nation’s growing role in harnessing it for a more sustainable food future and climate action.
What is gim?
- A type of dried edible seaweed commonly used in Korean cuisine
- Seaweeds used belong to the red algae genera such as Pyropia and Porphyra
- Its key export role earned it the nickname “black semiconductor,” echoing the importance of microchips in Korea’s economy
Culinary versatility
- Gim is a key ingredient in gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), a popular Korean food, especially in the US
- Used as a topping for rice bowls, soups and noodle dishes, or enjoyed as a snack
- Its versatility extends to fusion dishes like pizza and even ice cream
- Globally gaining attention as a sustainable superfood that requires no land, fertilizer or freshwater, while benefiting ocean ecosystems
Export performance
- A key role in Korea’s seafood exports, making up nearly one third of the nation’s $3.03 billion seafood export revenue in 2024
- Export value reached $997 miliion in 2024, up 25.8 percent on-year
- Korea holds over 70 percent of the global seaweed market
- In the first quarter, gim exports reached $281 million, up 21.1 percent on-year
- Top destinations are the US ($57.9 million), China ($51.1 million), Japan ($34.4 million), Thailand ($34.2 million)
Government vision
Companies leading innovation in land-based farming:
- Stable supply: Scale up gim production and develop heat-tolerant varieties
- Industry modernization: Modernize with smart factories and logistics hubs for efficient distribution
- Global branding: Establish gim as the international standard name while expanding product innovation to reach broader consumer markets
- Governance & talent: Build public-private councils, strengthen industry collaboration and invest in workforce training
New gim varieties
- Rising sea temperatures, up 1.36 degrees Celsius over the past 55 years, have shortened seaweed harvesting seasons
- A 35 billion won ($25.2 million) national project running through 2029 aims to develop year-round seed strains and build controlled marine farming systems
Companies leading innovation in land-based farming:
- CJ CheilJedang: Secured a land-farming gim variety in 2023; targeting commercialization by 2028
- Daesang: Pilot production started in 2023
- Pulmuone: Operates land-farming research facilities since 2021
Climate solution
- Seaweed absorbs carbon and enhances biodiversity
- The World Bank predicts seaweed-related industries to grow by $11.8 billion by 2030
- Korea has created 347 square kilometers of sea forests, absorbing 117,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually
- Targets are set for 1.07 million tons of carbon dioxide absorption by 2030 and 1.36 million tons by 2050
- The National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea plans to establish a Blue Carbon Research Center by 2028
- South Jeolla Province has partnered with NASA to advance blue carbon certification, and with the US Department of Energy to develop offshore seaweed farming for large-scale carbon capture
