# Soybean Imports Down 13% as Domestic Soybean Hubs Reach 11: Where Does Chuseok Tofu Supply Stand?
Key Changes
Taken together, reports and official materials available as of August 31, 2026, show that the soybean issue involves both the long-term expansion of the domestic soybean industry and short-term concerns about the supply of imported soybean raw materials.
According to reports citing data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, planned total soybean imports this year amount to 249,427 tons—13% less than in 2024 and approximately 9% less than in 2025. In connection with this, industry concerns have emerged that inventories of imported soybeans at some tofu manufacturers in Chungbuk, Incheon, Gangwon, Jeonnam, and Gwangju could be depleted from early September.
Current Situation
The supply concern has not been confirmed as a situation affecting every company nationwide. Reports presented claims that Gangwon’s secured volume was 7,371 tons, approximately 1,600 tons below the 9,000 tons needed this year, and that the fermented-food industry would need an additional 3,000 tons through the end of the year.
The verified materials indicate concerns about imported soybean inventories and supply among some regions and companies, but they do not mean that tofu is in short supply nationwide or that all tofu factories have halted operations.
The government has also announced a response. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it plans to supply 21,000 tons of government-stockpiled domestic soybeans in 2026 to food companies producing tofu and soy milk, and to provide an additional 44,000 tons for price stabilization and the creation of new demand by the end of the year. Combined, these plans amount to a planned market supply of 65,000 tons of government-stockpiled domestic soybeans.
Impact
The medium- to long-term focus of this issue is connecting domestic soybean production, processing, and distribution. The Rural Development Administration’s soybean self-sufficiency convergence-complex project links production with processing and distribution. According to 2026 reports, four sites had completed the project and seven were in progress. Following Dangjin, Hampyeong, Goesan, Sacheon, Paju, and Yeongju, Chungju, Gimje, Gongju, Iksan, and Uljin were added, bringing the total to 11 sites.
The Rural Development Administration has set a goal of raising the domestic soybean self-sufficiency rate to 43.5% by 2027 through this project. Reports described last year’s self-sufficiency rate as 40%.
Research and discussions aimed at expanding consumption are also continuing. The National Institute of Crop Science under the Rural Development Administration and the Korean Soybean Research Association held an academic forum on revitalizing the domestic soybean industry and expanding consumption in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, from August 25 to 26. Around 100 people, including soybean producers, representatives of food, processing, and distribution companies, and university and institutional researchers, attended.
The forum presented and discussed topics including digital breeding and AI-based imaging technology, personalized nutrition based on gut microbiota, the use of domestic soybeans as alternative-food ingredients, government-certified seed production systems, links with regional festivals, and the development of biomaterials. This can be understood as part of a broader effort to consider domestic soybeans beyond cultivation, encompassing foods, materials, and ways of consuming them.
When purchasing tofu or processed soybean products, consumers should distinguish between country-of-origin labeling and GMO labeling. According to Food Safety Korea, soybeans—an approved food-use item—are included among products subject to domestic GMO labeling, and foods in which genetically modified DNA or protein remains after processing are subject to labeling. Meanwhile, an expansion of GMO labeling requirements is scheduled to be implemented in stages: for soy sauce from December 31, 2026, and for sugars and edible oils and fats from December 31, 2027.
What to Check Next
Before Chuseok, three points should be monitored:
- How inventories of imported soybeans at companies in some regions actually change
- Whether the planned supply of 21,000 tons of government-stockpiled domestic soybeans and the additional 44,000 tons proceeds as scheduled
- How the planned expansion of GMO labeling standards for soy sauce on December 31, 2026, is reflected in actual product labels and distribution channels
Based on the current materials, it is not yet appropriate to conclude that there is a “nationwide tofu crisis.” In the short term, concerns about imported soybean supply at some regions and companies should be monitored. Over the medium to long term, it will be important to see whether the 11 domestic soybean hubs and the self-sufficiency target lead to actual supply stability.
Information checked: Around 16:30 on August 31, 2026.
Sources: [Rural Development Administration academic forum press release](https://www.korea.kr/briefing/pressReleaseView.do?newsId=156776161&pWise=sub&pWiseSub=C4), [Korea Economic Daily supply report](https://www.hankyung.com/article/2026083145871), [Money Today report on domestic soybean hubs](https://www.mt.co.kr/economy/2026/08/24/2026081414595244818), [KDI Economic Education and Information Center materials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs](https://eiec.kdi.re.kr/policy/materialView.do?num=283283&pg=&pp=20&topic=L), [Yonhap News report on the supply of stockpiled domestic soybeans](https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20260625150200030), [Food Safety Korea GMO labeling standards](https://www.foodsafetykorea.go.kr/portal/board/boardDetail.do?bbs_no=bbs092&menu_grp=MENU_NEW01&menu_no=4456), [Ministry of Food and Drug Safety guidance on expanded GMO labeling](https://www.korea.kr/news/customizedNewsView.do?newsId=148960110)