Lee Backs Farm Export Push as Persimmons Reach China

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to actively back efforts to open new export markets for the country’s farm produce after its first shipment of sweet persimmons to China, which followed 17 years of quarantine negotiations, The Korea Herald reported.

In a post on X on Saturday, Lee said that widening exports beyond Southeast Asia to China “creates fresh opportunities for local agricultural communities”, according to the newspaper. He added that spreading shipments across more destinations would lower dependence on particular markets.

First shipment heads to Shanghai

The first consignment weighs 19.6 tonnes and is set to go on sale at retail outlets in Shanghai, the Seoul Economic Daily reported. The news was first shared by Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Song Mi-ryung, who posted that quarantine talks had concluded, and Lee then shared her post on X, the paper said.

Seoul and Beijing began quarantine talks on persimmon exports in 2008, and the negotiations were concluded at a Korea-China summit held last year on the sidelines of the APEC meetings in Gyeongju, according to the Seoul Economic Daily.

Lee said the government would support new export markets so that produce grown by farmers sells in greater volumes and farm household incomes rise, SBS News reported.

Quarantine conditions for exporters

Trade publication FreshPlaza reported in November 2025 that the agriculture ministry had reached a quarantine agreement with China, formalised through a memorandum of understanding signed at the summit on November 1. Under the arrangement, exporting orchards and packing facilities must be registered, pest monitoring must be carried out, and quarantine details must appear on the phytosanitary certificates accompanying each shipment, the outlet said.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency developed the pest-control and monitoring measures to meet China’s biosecurity requirements, according to FreshPlaza.

Busan spending milestone

In a separate post, Lee shared a message from Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo saying foreign credit card spending in the port city had passed 1 trillion won (US$733.24 million), The Korea Herald reported.

“Busan must reclaim its status as the second capital,” Lee wrote, according to SBS News. The president also pledged to support the mayor and residents in efforts to build the city into a world-class maritime hub, the Herald said.

What’s next

FreshPlaza reported that the quarantine agency would implement the export measures, including new regulations and training for producers on export certification. Minister Song said at the time that the ministry would keep identifying promising export items and pursue strategic quarantine negotiations, according to the outlet.

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