Promar completed an extensive study on the South Korean seafood market researching three key species: mackerel, herring and salmon and the opportunities and challenges for their market development in the retail sector.

While species like anchovy, rockfish, hairtail and mackerel are traditional favorites for Korean consumers, newcomers such as salmon are still not very popular on Korean dining tables. Nevertheless, the consumption of salmon has doubled in the past few years and the expectation of the industry is optimistic.

Koreans eat an average of 3 kg of mackerel per capita annually, 15% of which is imported. The most common consumption form is grilled mackerel, mainly consumed at home and bought at various retail outlets.