Seoul: The Republic of Korea's exports of dried seaweed have achieved a significant milestone, reaching an unprecedented US$1 billion this year. This achievement has been largely driven by its increasing popularity in international markets, such as the United States. According to Emirates News Agency, outbound shipments of dried seaweed, known as "gim" in Korean, have totaled US$1.02 billion as of Thursday. This marks a 13.2 percent increase from the same period last year, as reported by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The ministry attributes this growth to the enhanced quality competitiveness of gim and the rising demand in overseas markets, particularly in North America and Europe, which have seen a considerable increase in consumption in recent years. The United States emerged as the largest importer, purchasing US$220 million worth of dried seaweed, which is a 15.3 percent increase compared to the previous year. Japan was the second largest importer with US$210 million, reflecting a 13.8 percent r ise, while China ranked third with US$100 million, showing a notable increase of 36.6 percent.