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KGC Ginseng Corporation
Korea Ginseng Corporation (KGC) is a leading global ginseng company. Ginseng has been a key national commodity in Korea for over a millennium. To foster and protect the highest-quality red ginseng, the Korean government established a government-run system on December 1, 1899, and maintained the Red Ginseng Monopoly. Following the privatization of the red ginseng industry in the late 1990s, Korea Ginseng Corporation (KGC) was launched on January 1, 1999, continuing its 120-year history and tradition. Building on its world-class manufacturing facilities and R&D headquarters, KGCC is spearheading the continued growth of the global ginseng market and modern scientific research into the efficacy of ginseng.
A brief history of Korea Ginseng Corporation is as follows:
Jeong Kwan Jang Korean Ginseng is currently exported to 60 countries worldwide, and its exceptional efficacy and diverse range of products have earned it recognition as the true value of premium Korean ginseng. The true value of Jeong Kwan Jang Korean Ginseng recognized by international consumers has been shaped by their deep trust in the quality assurance provided by the government-mandated red ginseng monopoly.
This has been the background for preferring Jeonggwanjang Korean Ginseng despite the large price difference compared to other competing ginsengs, and even now that it has been privatized, KGC Ginseng Corporation maintains its premium policy by using the high-quality positioning of Korean Ginseng as the basis for its marketing.
Building on existing markets like Hong Kong and Taiwan, KGC Ginseng Corporation is strengthening its presence in mainland China and actively exploring new markets in the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. Guided by a policy of selection and focus, the company is accelerating its localization efforts in overseas markets and focusing on market development and product development tailored to the unique characteristics of each region.
KGC Ginseng Corporation 1st Century
1899 Korean Empire (36th year of King Gojong's reign) Establishment of the Samjeonggwa (Ginseng Monopoly Division) of the Naejangwon (Interior and Exterior Office) of the Ministry of the Interior
1908 Promulgation of the Ginseng Monopoly Division of the Taxation Bureau (Red Ginseng Monopoly Act)
1928 Transition to the Monopoly Bureau of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Korea
1940 Use of the "Cheong Kwan Jang" trademark on red ginseng cans for export
1948 Transition to the Monopoly Bureau of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Korea
1952 Elevation to the Monopoly Bureau
1978 Completion of the current Goryeo Ginseng Factory in Buyeo
1989 Establishment of the Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation
1994 Establishment of the Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation Hong Kong Limited
1996 Abolition of the Red Ginseng Monopoly
1999 Establishment of the Korea Ginseng Corporation
2000 Designated as Korea's Millennium Product
2001 Designated as Korean World-Class Product
2003 Korea Ginseng Corporation Establishment of US Branch
2006 Establishment of Korea Ginseng Corporation Japan Branch
2007 Establishment of Korea Ginseng Corporation China Branch
2009 Establishment of Korea Ginseng Corporation USA Branch
2011 Establishment of Korea Ginseng Corporation Canada Branch under US Branch
2012 Cheong Kwan Jang Members surpass 3 million members
2013 Korea Ginseng Corporation obtains ISO 22000 international standard food safety management system certification
2015 Euromonitor "The World No. 1 Ginseng Brand" certification
2019 Received the highest honor in the Fair Trade Agreement Compliance Assessment
2020 Ranked first in the health food category of the Korea Brand Power Index (K-BPI) for 14 consecutive years
2022 First domestic brand to register color trademark rights
2023 Opening of KGC Ginseng Corporation USA R&D Center in Los Angeles