How did South Korea's Halal food sales network develop?

Korean Pakistani Ha San, due to the early difficulty of buying Halal food in South Korea, opened a Halal food store in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province in 1997, established Aone International in 2004 and built a plant in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province to process poultry. He later focused on nationwide Halal food supply and now has more than 100 wholesalers in South Korea, mainly importing beef and mutton from Australia, spices from Pakistan, cooking oil from the UAE, and butter and dates from Saudi Arabia.

Which body is responsible for managing the production and sale of Halal food in South Korea?

The Korea Muslim Federation is the halal governing body responsible for approving the production and sale of food in South Korea. Aone International is the only Pakistani company approved by the federation. According to it, there are more than 130,000 Muslims in South Korea, including about 35,000 Koreans.

What are the key points of Halal slaughter and processing rules?

Although Muslims are permitted to eat cattle, sheep and chicken, the slaughter of these animals and the processing, packaging and distribution of the meat must follow strict halal rules, otherwise the food will be considered haram (forbidden) and cannot be eaten. The rule also applies to other processed foods and daily necessities (from hygiene products to cosmetics); products that come into contact with pork-derived substances (such as pork fat) cannot be consumed.

A Pakistani Develops a Halal Food Business in South Korea

It all started with the difficulty of buying Halal food for Ha San, a Korean Pakistani who founded a business and pioneered a Halal food sales network for the more than 13,000 Pakistanis living in South Korea.

In 1997, he opened a restaurant in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province—his Halal food store three years after permanently settling in South Korea. He had to shop at a Muslim grocery store in Seoul to buy beef, mutton and poultry produced according to Halal standards.

Ha, CEO of Halal food supplier Aone International, now imports a variety of products—mainly beef and mutton from Australia, spices from Pakistan, cooking oil from the United Arab Emirates, and butter and dates from Saudi Arabia. He also processes poultry at his own plant in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, where Aone International was established in 2004.

Afterwards, he closed his restaurant to concentrate on supplying Halal food nationwide.

His company has more than 100 wholesalers in South Korea. They are located in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Ulsan, Changwon and Gimhae, as well as on the small island of Wando in South Jeolla Province, where Pakistani Muslims work in the fishing industry.

'When I ran the restaurant, it was hard to find Halal meat and Halal chicken. That's how I became interested in the Halal food distribution business,' he told The Korea Times on Tuesday at the Petra restaurant in Itaewon, Seoul.

Ha said that upscale Arab restaurants buy food from Aone International, one of his customers.

'I hope my company helps Koreans become familiar with Halal food and other parts of Halal culture,' he said, referring to South Korea's growing Muslim population and the increasing demand for Halal food.

According to Ha, Aone International is the only Pakistani company approved by the Korea Muslim Federation, the halal governing body responsible for the production and sale of food in South Korea.

Muhammad Shafiq Haider, counselor of the Pakistani Embassy in South Korea who attended the interview, called Ha 'a Halal food tycoon,' saying 'he strongly connects Pakistan and South Korea.'

Halal, meaning 'permitted' in Arabic, refers to the halal dietary rules defined by the Quran.

Although Muslims are permitted to eat cattle, sheep and chicken, the slaughter of these animals and the processing, packaging and distribution of the meat must follow strict halal rules. Otherwise, the food will be considered haram, meaning 'forbidden' in Arabic, and cannot be eaten.

This rule applies to other processed foods and daily necessities, from hygiene products to cosmetics. Products that come into contact with pork-derived substances such as pork fat cannot be consumed, because the pig is considered impermissible.

According to the Korea Muslim Federation, there are more than 130,000 Muslims in South Korea, including 35,000 Koreans.

Ha is married to a Korean. He speaks English and Korean.

FAQ

How did South Korea's Halal food sales network develop?: Korean Pakistani Ha San, due to the early difficulty of buying Halal food in South Korea, opened a Halal food store in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province in 1997, established Aone International in 2004 and built a plant in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province to process poultry. He later focused on nationwide Halal food supply and now has more than 100 wholesalers in South Korea, mainly importing beef and mutton from Australia, spices from Pakistan, cooking oil from the UAE, and butter and dates from Saudi Arabia.
Which body is responsible for managing the production and sale of Halal food in South Korea?: The Korea Muslim Federation is the halal governing body responsible for approving the production and sale of food in South Korea. Aone International is the only Pakistani company approved by the federation. According to it, there are more than 130,000 Muslims in South Korea, including about 35,000 Koreans.
What are the key points of Halal slaughter and processing rules?: Although Muslims are permitted to eat cattle, sheep and chicken, the slaughter of these animals and the processing, packaging and distribution of the meat must follow strict halal rules, otherwise the food will be considered haram (forbidden) and cannot be eaten. The rule also applies to other processed foods and daily necessities (from hygiene products to cosmetics); products that come into contact with pork-derived substances (such as pork fat) cannot be consumed.

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