South Korea: Alcoholic beverages production declines in 2016

South Korea�s output of alcoholic beverages decreased in 2016 for the first time in three years, The Korea Herald reported on November 19.

Total production of alcoholic beverages, excluding imported ones, inched down 3.3 percent year-on-year to 368 million kiloliters last year, according to the National Tax Service (NTS) data.

The data showed that 53.8 percent of the annual output was beer, followed by soju - a traditional Korean rice-based alcohol - and rice wine.

The production of alcoholic beverages had increased starting in 2013, before the latest contraction, mainly on the back of consistent demand for soju and rice wine.

The NTS released the data just ahead of the publication of its annual report.