Food Master-certified liquor maker to present traditional production techniques and signature products to domestic and international buyers
SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Agricultural Corporation Geumsan Insamju will take part in the “2026 International Ginseng Trade Fair,” held from October 2 to 11 at the plaza of the Geumsan World Ginseng Expo, presenting its traditional ginseng liquor production techniques and flagship products.
During the event, Geumsan Insamju will operate a promotional booth and display its key products, including yakju (medicinal rice wine) and general distilled spirits made with domestic rice and ginseng. The company will introduce its products and brand to domestic and international visitors and buyers, and will also hold live demonstrations of its traditional ginseng liquor production process along with product tastings.
Based in Geumsan, South Chungcheong Province, Geumsan Insamju is a liquor producer that carries on a ginseng liquor-making technique designated as Korea’s Food Master No. 2 and Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 19. The company produces yakju and general distilled spirits using domestic rice and ginseng, and continues to develop new products, design, and brand enhancements tailored to modern consumer tastes, building on its long-standing production techniques and tradition.
In particular, the company highlights its production method as a key point of differentiation from conventional ginseng-infused liquors. Geumsan Insamju produces its ginseng distilled spirits by adding ginseng from the fermentation stage — based on domestic rice and nuruk (fermentation starter) — and then applying vacuum distillation. Rather than simply adding ginseng to a finished liquor, the company’s distinguishing feature is incorporating ginseng throughout the brewing process itself.
While preserving traditional production techniques, the company is also focused on modernizing its products. Geumsan Insamju has developed products at various alcohol content levels and applied contemporary packaging, working to present ginseng liquor with a younger, more refined image. More recently, the company has been expanding its export and marketing efforts beyond the domestic market into overseas markets, including the United States, pursuing growth as a global brand that promotes both Korean ginseng and liquor culture together.
At this year’s International Ginseng Trade Fair, Geumsan Insamju has prepared a program that allows visitors to experience its traditional production techniques firsthand. Activities during the event will include: a traditional ginseng liquor production demonstration led directly by the Food Master; tastings of Geumsan Insamju’s key products; an exhibition and introduction of yakju and general distilled spirits made with domestic rice and ginseng; and promotion of the company’s products and production techniques to domestic and international buyers.
In particular, the production demonstration led directly by the Food Master will showcase, on-site, the ginseng liquor-making process that has been passed down over many years. Rather than simply displaying finished products, the company aims to let visitors experience both the production technique and the product together, highlighting what sets Geumsan Insamju’s method and tradition apart from conventional ginseng-infused liquors.
Product tastings will be held alongside the demonstrations. By explaining the value of ginseng liquor made through traditional production methods while also presenting a range of modernized products, the event will showcase both the preservation of tradition and the modernization of products that Geumsan Insamju has pursued.
Geumsan Insamju also plans to use the trade fair as a touchpoint for expanding into overseas markets. The company will engage directly with domestic and international buyers visiting the event to gauge overseas market response and demand for its products, while identifying new export markets and sales channels. In particular, the company is focused on raising awareness of ginseng liquor made with domestic ginseng in overseas markets, including the United States.
Separate preparations for overseas expansion are also underway. Geumsan Insamju is utilizing an export voucher program to produce promotional videos in foreign languages and strengthen product and brand promotion targeting overseas consumers and buyers. The company is also conducting market-entry strategy consulting to closely analyze local market conditions, consumer characteristics, and distribution and marketing directions.
Building on this groundwork, Geumsan Insamju plans to develop a market-entry strategy tailored to the U.S. market, identify new buyers and distribution channels, and pursue a substantive increase in exports. Going forward, the company aims to leverage the experience and results it accumulates in the U.S. market to gradually expand into additional export regions, with the goal of growing into a global liquor brand that introduces the value of Korean ginseng liquor to the world market.
