South Korea’s Growing Health Functional Food Market and Ingredient Regulatory Framework

Health functional food market trends

In South Korea, health functional food refers to food produced in various formulations, such as tablets, capsules, and liquids, using ingredients that have functionalities useful for the human body. In recent years, the demand for health functional foods in South Korea has been steadily increasing. According to statistics from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), domestic sales of health functional foods reached 3,768 billion KRW in 2023, while imports were valued at 1,395 billion KRW. From 2019 to 2023, the total market demand grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5%.