While the U.S. scraps for access to the South Korean market, Australia's beef brand in Korea, Hoju Chungjung Woo, which means "Clean and Safe Australian Beef," was judged as Korea's leading food brand for the third year in a row.

Part of the "Best Brand Awards" conducted annually by the Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo, a panel of four marketing and retailing experts account for each brand's market share, brand awareness, brand potential and consumer-survey data.

Launched in January 2002, Hoju Chungjung Woo holds a 75% share of total beef imports into Korea, worth $661 million. It appears in Korea's leading department and hypermarket stores and is widely used by top hotels and major restaurant chains.

Korea is Australia's third largest export market for beef, with 121,271 tons in 2005-06, an increase of 33% over the year before. Beef is the second-most consumed meat in Korea, behind pork.
-- Joe Roybal