South Korea's agricultural ministry said Thursday the country has shipped the first batch of packaged traditional chicken soup, or "samgyetang," to the European Union, amid the growing popularity of Korean food around the globe. The 8.4-ton volume of samgyetang bound for Germany departed from the country's southeastern port city of Busan, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The ministry said the country plans to expand exports to other members of the EU down the road. South Korea is also preparing shipments of other chicken-based products, including dumplings and fried rice, it added. "Exports of samgyetang to the EU were made possible as local farms, food businesses and the government worked closely to address complicated overseas regulations," Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said. "The government will expand communications with the industry so that not only samgyetang but also various Korean foods, can be exported to more countries," Song said. South Korea shipped US$19 .67 million worth of processed chicken products, including samgyetang, in 2023, with destinations including the United States, Japan and Hong Kong. Source: Yonhap News Agency