What Is Food Made in the ‘Halal Way’ Eaten by Bin Salman...

Foods Permitted in the Quran... Meat Slaughter and Inspection Managed by Muslims
Restaurants Selling Halal Food Must Obtain a 'Halal Certificate'
Global Halal Food Market Expected to Grow to 1640 Trillion Won by 2024

President Yoon Suk-yeol is having a friendly conversation after concluding a meeting with Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, who visited Korea on the 17th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] President Yoon Suk-yeol welcomed Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, who visited Korea on the 17th, at the residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. A luncheon conversation followed, and the food was Korean cuisine prepared in a 'Halal manner,' according to Kim Eun-hye, the chief public relations officer.

According to the 'Korea Halal Certification Institute,' the dictionary meaning of Halal is 'permissible.' According to the Islamic scripture, the Quran, Halal means 'acceptable, permitted, lawful.' When this term is applied to food or other consumer goods, it generally means 'allowed for use or consumption by Muslims.' Conversely, the term 'Haram' means 'forbidden.' It is used to refer to foods or consumer goods strictly prohibited for Muslims.

Halal foods officially bear the Halal certification mark. To export food and other items from non-Islamic countries to Islamic countries, obtaining the Halal certification mark is mandatory. Restaurants selling Halal food must also obtain Halal certification. The Halal certification mark serves as a kind of quality assurance mark in Islamic countries.

Halal foods include livestock such as cattle, sheep, camels, chickens, and ducks; milk and honey; fish; fresh vegetables and fruits; various grains such as wheat, rice, and rye; and nuts.

In addition to the type of food, the preparation process is also important to be recognized as Halal. For meat, both slaughtering and inspection must be conducted by Muslims. When slaughtering animals, a designated method called 'Dhabihah' is followed, using a special knife to deeply cut the front of the neck and carotid arteries.

At this time, the animal's head is placed facing the direction of prayer. The permitted animal species must be slaughtered while reciting 'Bismillah' (in the name of God). Minimizing the animal's suffering is a key regulation in Halal slaughtering. Recently, it has been known that animals are stunned before slaughter.

Essentially, providing livestock with a low-stress environment results in tender, fresh, and more flavorful meat. This contrasts with industrial systems that maximize profits.

Therefore, carcasses of dead animals or rotten meat are naturally not recognized as Halal food. Throughout the entire distribution process?from food processing to packaging, storage, and transportation?strict separation from Haram foods is maintained. Also, if Halal food is cooked using utensils that have once been used for Haram food, it cannot be recognized as Halal. In principle, alcohol is classified as Haram, and Halal certification is not granted to alcoholic beverages or energy drinks containing alcohol.

A consumer is browsing food at a grocery store certified for halal food. Photo by Yonhap News

The Halal food market continues to grow. According to a report titled 'Status of Halal Consumer Goods Export Market and Export Expansion Plans' by the Korea International Trade Association's International Trade and Commerce Research Institute in January last year, the global Muslim population is approximately 2.1 billion, accounting for 25% of the world's population. The Halal market size is expected to grow from $2.2 trillion in 2018 to $3.2 trillion in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 6.2%.

The '2020, 2021 Global Islamic Economy Report' published by Dinar Standard Research predicted that the global Halal food market will reach 1,640 trillion Korean won by 2024. This is 1.6 times the size of the Chinese food market and 1.7 times that of the United States. Halal food is already being produced according to Halal standards by companies such as Walmart and Nestl? in the U.S. Halal baby food is also growing as a consumer market for Muslims in the UK and the U.S.

Domestically, Halal certification bodies such as the Korea Muslim Federation (KMF), Korea Halal Certification Authority (KHA), International Halal Certification Support Center (IHCC), and Halal Association (KOHAS) support Korean companies in exporting Halal foods overseas, enhancing the competitiveness of K-food in the Halal market.

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), food export performance to Malaysia (ranked 1st) and Indonesia (ranked 2nd), the largest consumers of Halal food, has steadily increased over the past three years. Industry sources indicate that Korean ramen and rice cake products with Halal certification are also showing export growth. Samyang Foods, already popular among Muslims, developed the 'Habanero Lime Buldak Bokkeum Myun' as a Halal food tailored to American tastes.

The Korea Tourism Organization provides information so that Muslim tourists can freely choose restaurants within the bounds of their religious beliefs. The types are divided into four categories: △ restaurants certified by external certification bodies 'Official Halal Certification' △ restaurants self-declared as Halal 'Self-Certification' △ restaurants offering some menu items that do not violate Islamic law 'Muslim Friendly' △ restaurants that do not use ingredients containing pork 'Pork Free.'

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