By Choi Sung-jin



Imported food, such as fruits and drinks, cost far more here than in most countries, a consumer advocacy group says.



Consumers Korea compared the prices of 35 imported food, and agricultural and livestock products in the cities of 13 major countries in June and October last year.



According to the survey, the prices of imported green grapes and wine in Korea were higher than in any other countries. The price of U.S. Tomson Seedless green grapes, for instance, was 7,009 won ($5.77) per 800 grams, 73 percent more than in the U.S. (4,049 won).



Chilean wine Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon cost 38,875 won, 71 percent more than 22,681 won in the Netherlands, the fifth-expensive country. The price of homegrown samgyeopsal, or pork belly, was 27,930 won per kilogram, almost twice as much as in China (14,679 won), and the highest in the world.



The prices of Starbucks coffee, homegrown and imported sirloin steak, Philippines bananas, U.S. oranges and grapefruit, Coca and Pepsi Cola, Heineken and Miller beer were second most expensive in Korea.



The price of Heineken in Korea (2,016 won) is 2.9 times higher than in the Netherlands (729 won). Miller (2,023 won) costs 2.3 times more than in the U.S. (960 won). Starbucks' Americano, which costs 4,100 won, is 18 percent more than in Japan (3,475 won) and 45 percent more than in the U.S. (2,821 won).



"As a result of comparing the prices of agricultural and livestock products, including imported goods, Korea was among the five most expensive country groups in 31 out of the 35 items surveyed," a Consumers Korea official said.



"As a whole, the prices of farm and dairy products and other food were expensive in Korea compared with other countries."



Particularly problematic were the prices of imported beer and fruit, he said. "Despite the conclusion of free trade agreements and lower import duties, the prices of foreign beer and fruit have not come down, with vendors pretending they are giving benefits to consumers thorough occasional discounts," the official said. "The government should improve the distribution and other systems so the lower tariffs directly benefit consumers."



