50th Anniversary of U.S. Meat Export Association & 35th Anniversary of Entry into Korea… A New Leap Forward with ‘US Premier’

The U.S. Meat Export Association (USMEF / Country Manager for Korea Park Jun-il) celebrated its 50th anniversary and the 35th anniversary of the opening of its Korean office this year. For the USMEF, which has introduced U.S. meat to the global market for half a century, the past 35 years in Korea have been a time of overcoming crises, building consumer trust, and creating new markets together with the domestic meat industry.

To commemorate this, the U.S. Meat Export Association held the ‘2026 USMEF Partners Day’ on October 22 at Bonelli Garden in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Representatives from the import, distribution, meat processing, and food service industries, who have contributed to the growth of the U.S. meat market in Korea, attended the event to reflect on the past and share their vision for the future.

While reflecting on its 50-year history and growth in the Korean market, USMEF newly introducedUS PremierThey announced a plan to take U.S. meat to the next level in the Korean market through the brand.

EVENT VIDEO 01 /Tour of the event site

A video tour of the '2026 USMEF Partners Day' venue and attendees (approx. 1 minute 12 seconds)

35 Years of Growth with the Korean Market… Overcoming Crisis to Trust

The U.S. Meat Export Association, established in 1976, began a full-fledged relationship with the Korean market by opening a Korean office in 1991.

At that time, Korea was experiencing a period of rapid meat consumption alongside economic growth. As income levels rose and dietary habits diversified, the demand for beef and pork expanded. As domestic production alone became insufficient to meet the growing demand, the imported meat market also expanded.

In this process, U.S. beef began to establish itself in the Korean market by meeting increasing consumer demand, while U.S. pork complemented domestic supply shortages and the supply of specific cuts.

According to data released by the USMEF on this day, the amount of U.S. beef supplied to Korean consumers since the expansion of the imported meat market has reached approximately 3.6 million tons, and the amount of U.S. pork has reached approximately 2.85 million tons. These figures demonstrate that U.S. meat has established itself as a major supplier in the domestic meat market, having been supplied to Korean tables for a long time.

However, the process was not without its difficulties. In particular, the outbreak of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the United States in 2003 led to a major crisis in which exports of U.S. beef to Korea were suspended. Since then, recovering the market required a process of alleviating consumer anxiety and building trust in safety.

The USMEF focused its efforts on promoting the safety of U.S. beef and its production and quality control systems based on scientific evidence. Domestic importers, distributors, and the food service industry also worked together to recover the market. Subsequently, with the entry into force of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the expansion of domestic meat consumption, U.S. beef and pork grew into major items in the Korean imported meat market.

Park Jun-il, head of the Korea branch of the U.S. Meat Export Association, described the growth of the U.S. beef market in Korea using the word "trust" during his presentation. He stated that while proving safety based on scientific evidence has been a major challenge since 2003, consumer interest is now shifting to taste and quality.

Beef: ‘From Safety to Quality’, Pork: ‘From Substitute to Option’

If U.S. meat has taken root in the Korean market over the past 35 years, the new challenge now is to make consumers seek out U.S. meat more actively.

Branch Manager Park explained that U.S. beef and pork have undergone different growth paths. He noted that while in the past, promoting safety and restoring trust were crucial for beef, it has now evolved into a product chosen by consumers for its taste and quality.

The changes in U.S. pork are also noteworthy. It is explained that while in the past it played a major role in filling the insufficient supply of domestic pork or supplementing the demand for specific cuts, consumers are now looking for products that suit them by comparing taste, quality, price, and personal preferences.

Branch Manager ParkU.S. pork has now become an option, not just a simple substitute.It was evaluated highly. Beef is emphasizing quality competitiveness based on trust in safety, while pork is evolving from a complement to domestic products into a product that consumers choose according to their preferences.

‘US Premier’, a New Starting Point for U.S. Meat

Amidst these changes, what the USMEF newly put forward wasUS PremierIt is a brand. US Premier is a brand designed to emphasize the quality and flavor of U.S. beef and pork, and to present consumers with new reasons to choose U.S. meat.

On this day, Branch Manager Park Jun-il explained that US Premier is not merely a new logo, brand, or promotion, but a new starting point for U.S. meat to grow to the next level in the Korean market.

U.S. beef is the starting point for the shift from safety to quality, U.S. pork from a substitute to a choice, and US Premier from a choice to a preference.

— Park Jun-il, Country Manager, U.S. Meat Export Association Korea

It means going a step further than simply enabling consumers to choose U.S. products among various meats, and making them seek out and prefer U.S. meat first.

The future marketing direction for this purpose was also presented. The plan is to attract new consumers through taste, convenience, and new experiences, and to enhance the value of U.S. meat by developing diverse cuts and new menus and cooking methods. Furthermore, the vision is to create clear reasons for consumers to actively seek out U.S. meat.

Branch Manager Park predicted that competitive factors in the imported meat market would become more diverse in the future, extending beyond price and quality to include taste, health, and distribution channels.What matters now is not simply how much you sell, but what value you provide to consumers.He emphasized the importance of marketing tailored to changing consumer demands, saying

“The People Who Built the U.S. Meat Market Together”… 35 Years of Gratitude

This ‘USMEF Partners Day’ was an occasion to present a new vision, as well as to express gratitude to the domestic meat industry stakeholders who have contributed to the growth of the Korean market for U.S. meat over the past 35 years.

It is the result of the efforts of countless individuals and companies that U.S. beef and pork have become familiar ingredients to Korean consumers today. The key players include importers responsible for the import and supply of U.S. meat, distributors connecting consumers with products, meat processing companies that developed diverse products, and restaurants that introduced new menus.

In particular, cooperation with the Korean meat industry is an indispensable part of the USMEF’s past 35 years, from the difficult period of import suspension due to BSE and market recovery to the development of new cuts and menus and the expansion of the consumer market.

Branch Manager ParkThe past 35 years are by no means our history alone, but a time we have created together with you.He said, “If the past 35 years were a time for U.S. meat to establish itself in the Korean market, the future will be a time to create greater value and opportunities.”

At the end of the event, Yang Ji-hye, Vice President of the Asia-Pacific Region at the U.S. Meat Export Association, delivered a message of gratitude. Vice President YangThe reason the U.S. Meat Export Association exists is because of you, our customers.He expressed his gratitude to industry insiders who have shared difficult and enjoyable times with him for a long time and put in various efforts.

He added that he would continue to do his utmost and dedicate himself with sincerity, expressing his intention to maintain long-standing relationships with partners in the domestic meat industry.

USMEF has a 50-year history dating back to 1976, and has been in the Korean market for 35 years since 1991. During this time, U.S. meat has established itself on the tables of Korean consumers and has built long-standing cooperative relationships with the domestic meat industry.

EVENT VIDEO 02 /Partners Day Experience Program

Before looking at the various highlights in photos, check out the on-site experience program in this video (approx. 23 seconds).