Our country's seaweed is now a clear leader in global K-food exports. By breaking new records every year, it has surpassed 1 billion dollars (1.5 trillion won) in exports as of November this year, securing a firm leading position in the global market. Japan was once the largest producer and consumer of seaweed, serving as the main stage for our exports and also influencing the development of our seaweed industry with its rapid technological advancements. Thanks to technological advancements such as the spread of artificial seeding and cold storage networks in the 1960s to 1980s, the development of excellent multi-harvest aquaculture varieties, and the spread of high-performance harvesting boats and automatic dryers, annual seaweed production reached around 400,000 tons (dried seaweed) in the 1990s to early 2000s.