26The new Chilean representative, freshly arrived in Seoul, highlights the challenges and opportunities for Chilean agricultural products, particularly pork and chicken. His focus will be on strengthening Chile’s position in a competitive, demanding, and constantly evolving market.
Felipe Umaña was recently appointed Chile’s Agricultural and Commercial Attaché to South Korea, a country that is not only a strategic partner for Chile’s foreign trade but also a highly competitive and developed market, especially in the agri-food sector.
With experience in both the public and private sector, Umaña lands with a clear roadmap: Consolidating and diversifying the presence of Chilean products, fostering collaboration between key stakeholders, and strengthening Chile’s export offer through digital, sustainable, and differentiating strategies.
In an interview with ChileCarne, he shared his vision and priorities for this new challenge:
- You recently took over as Chile’s Agricultural and Commercial Attaché to South Korea. What are your main goals and what strategies are you planning to implement to increase the presence of Chilean products?
In my new role, my goal is to increase the presence of Chilean agri-food products in South Korea, a key market for our country, and to diversify the range of products and services Chile provides to this country. To this end, I will work together with the public and private sectors on strategies to help us cement our position and expand our export offer, while staying alert to potential opportunities and challenges.
In collaboration with public agencies like SAG, ODEPA, and SUBREI, I would particularly like to contribute in areas like trade access and facilitation, to closely monitor access conditions of Chilean products to the South Korean market and support the necessary efforts to address potential health, plant health, and regulatory barriers, in coordination with the relevant agencies.
I also hope to help promote and position our products; strengthen outreach and digital marketing efforts to highlight their quality, safety, and sustainability attributes; as well as to increase Chilean products’ presence on e-commerce and retail platforms.
Another key pillar is value-added diversification: Identifying consumer trends and opportunities in specific segments that help Chile grow its market share in South Korea, exploring products with higher added value and certifications related to organic production, animal welfare, carbon neutrality, and fair trade, responding to the demands of South Korean consumers.
Our work in this area will be dynamic and require an ongoing assessment of market conditions, in coordination with other key industry parties.
- South Korea is a key partner for Chilean agri-food exports. What are the biggest challenges to maintain and expand this market share in the coming years?
South Korea is a highly competitive and demanding market, which poses several challenges. For example, the U.S., Australia, and the EU, also have preferential access to the Korean market and have strengthened their presence with bold marketing and sales strategies. South Korea also has strict regulations regarding food safety and certifications, so it is critical for Chilean exporters to keep working with Korean authorities to ensure compliance.
On the other hand, when looking at consumer preferences, demand is evolving toward healthier, more traceable, and sustainable products, which involve adapting our offer and certifications.
Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that combines differentiation, strengthening the country’s image, and effective communication with Korean importers and consumers.
- Korea Rural Economic Institute’s 2025 Agricultural Outlook, released on March 3, signals an increase in Korean demand for pork. What strategies are key to strengthening Chilean meat’s competitiveness, growing its presence, and responding to this increase in demand?
South Korea’s growing demand for pork represents an opportunity to consolidate and expand Chile’s presence in this market. To do so, it is critical to implement strategies that highlight our product’s unique attributes: Showcasing its compliance with the highest health and traceability standards to reinforce consumers’ confidence in Chilean pork; positioning it as a premium option, highlighting its sustainable origin and production systems that guarantee quality and safety; and diversifying distribution channels, boosting sales on e-commerce platforms, supermarkets, and restaurant chains, taking advantage of the dynamic Korean market and the growing digitalization of food purchases.
It is also key to foster cooperation and business partnerships with importers, distributors, and key players in the Korean meat sector, as well as to explore opportunities in food service and retail.
- The Korean market is dynamic and consumers are more and more demanding. How can Chilean exporters adapt to new trends, such as healthy or environmentally friendly products?
Korean consumers are increasingly focused on health and sustainability, providing an opportunity for Chilean exporters to adapt their offer. Some potential strategies are developing products with healthy attributes; promoting products with lower fat and sodium content, as well as those enriched with protein, vitamins, and minerals, in line with the growing demand for functional foods in Korea.
Responsible production and animal welfare certifications can also be promoted, as well as carbon neutral and reduced environmental impact certifications throughout the production chain. Another critical aspect is adapting product formats to local preferences, offering recyclable packaging, single-serving, and ready-to-eat formats.
It is also key to take advantage of the steady growth of e-commerce in South Korea to position Chilean products on online platforms with targeted marketing strategies and partnership with local influencers.
Chile has great potential for continued growth in South Korea, and the key lies in differentiation, innovation, and a commercial strategy focused on the preferences of Korean consumers.
