The rice snack company "Olbareum," which had previously faced a block on exports to Japan after including the phrase "Dokdo is Korean territory" and an illustration of Dokdo on its packaging, has successfully entered the U.S. market. On October 7th, Olbareum, which produces rice snacks for young children in Jangseong County, announced its recent entry into a retail store in Orange County near Los Angeles. The first export shipment amounts to approximately 10 million won, with expectations for broader distribution across the United States.

Since 2021, Olbareum has included the phrase "Dokdo is Korean territory" alongside a map of the Korean Peninsula and an image of Dokdo on the back of its packaging. However, while negotiating an export deal to Japan last December, the company was asked by the Japanese buyer to remove Dokdo from the design. Refusing to comply, Olbareum saw its export plans fall through, a significant setback, as the expected order volume would have accounted for 15% of annual revenue.

Despite challenges such as financial struggles and debt repayment, Olbareum hoped to resolve its difficulties through exports. However, its entry into the Japanese market was hindered, increasing the company’s hardships. Kim Jeong-kwang, CEO of Olbareum, explained, “I didn’t want to pursue personal gain at the expense of national pride,” sharing that he ultimately rejected the Japanese demand after much consideration.

After this story gained media attention, consumers showed great interest, nicknaming the product the “Dokdo Rice Snack.” A “let’s support the company by buying” campaign gained traction, and with the “money punishment” (a combination of “money” and “scold”) trend, the product sold out before the Chuseok holiday, gaining significant popularity.

Kim expressed gratitude, saying, “Thanks to the support and interest from many people, we were able to export our rice snacks featuring Dokdo to the U.S. We’ll continue to deliver good news moving forward.”

Meanwhile, there is another food company that also gave up Japanese exports over a Dokdo-related dispute. Seongyeong Food, known for its seaweed products, sells “Seongyeong Gim (seaweed)” with packaging that includes a map of the Korean Peninsula along with Ulleungdo, Dokdo, and Jeju Island. When asked by Japanese importers to remove Dokdo from the map, the company refused, resulting in a block on exports to Japan.

Despite the loss of access to the Japanese market, Seongyeong Gim is currently exported to 12 countries, including the U.S., Canada, China, and Vietnam. Last year, Seongyeong Food’s revenue reached 97.2 billion won, marking a 20% increase from the previous year. The company is expected to surpass 100 billion won in revenue this year.