농진청 to Launch Distilled Soju Made from Domestic Raw Rice in September

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The Rural Development Administration announced on the 29th that distilled traditional soju made from domestically produced raw rice and Korean yeast is scheduled to be launched in four regions nationwide around September, before Chuseok. This is the first result of the 'Traditional Distilled Soju Popularization Project' started by the Rural Development Administration in 2017, aiming to expand agricultural product consumption and increase farmers' income.

The soju was produced using rice from Gapyeong, Gyeonggi; Gangneung, Gangwon; Dangjin, Chungnam; and Seongsanpo, Jeju, and a dedicated soju yeast called N9. Unlike existing diluted soju, it is a traditional liquor made by fermenting and distilling domestic agricultural products without using ethanol.

Currently, most diluted soju consumed in the market is made from imported agricultural products. Among ethanol used for diluted soju, 42.7% is imported from abroad, and most of the domestically produced ethanol is also made from imported agricultural products such as tapioca or rice. If traditional distilled soju becomes popular enough to account for 10% of the Korean soju market, it could lead to an annual consumption effect of about 36,000 tons of domestic rice.

The Rural Development Administration selected the yeast N9 for distilled soju to popularize distilled soju. Yeasts with excellent fermentation ability were isolated from various nuruk collected nationwide, and eight verification processes including alcohol tolerance, sugar consumption rate, and sensory characteristics were conducted. N9 is registered as a patented strain and is being supplied to traditional distilled soju manufacturers.

Additionally, a raw rice fermentation method was developed that uses raw rice powder without steaming the rice, saving time and costs. Production technologies such as raw material processing methods, material mixing ratios, fermentation techniques, and distillation methods have been standardized, and technical consultations are being conducted together with Korea National University of Agriculture and Fisheries.

To secure price competitiveness for distilled soju, which has a high production cost due to small-scale production, the Rural Development Administration also supported the formation of the producer organization called Woori Soju Union. The Woori Soju Union plans to jointly handle material procurement, common bottle production, promotion, and marketing, aiming to reduce the selling price to about 30% of existing traditional soju prices. They plan to develop distilled soju manufacturing technologies that are simple and have excellent fermentation efficiency using various domestic agricultural products such as barley, sorghum, and corn, not just rice, secure industrial property rights, and distribute them to production companies.

Choi Junyeol, head of the Fermentation Processed Food Division at the Rural Development Administration, said, "If traditional distilled soju that suits consumer tastes and has price competitiveness is distributed, it will help promote agricultural product consumption and improve farmers' income," adding, "We will spare no technical support to ensure that the traditional distilled soju being launched this time can bring a fresh breeze to the Korean traditional soju market."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.