Korea imported 42.9 percent of its leather hiking boots from Vietnam, while China fell to second place with 31.1 percent.(image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, March 19 (Korea Bizwire) — As trekking shoes with made from lighter materials gain popularity amidst the trekking boom in Korea, imports of leather hiking boots decreased by 16.1 percent last year.
According to the Korea Customs Service on March 18, the import volume of hiking boots made of leather decreased to US$41 million, down 16.1 percent from the previous year’s US$49 million. Imports of leather hiking boots have decreased at an annual rate of 7.6 percent since 2010.
Korea imported 42.9 percent of its leather hiking boots from Vietnam, while China fell to second place with 31.1 percent. The average unit price for hiking boots last year was US$34.69.
An official at the customs office said, “As Koreans are currently fond of trekking, such as walking through olle trails in Jeju, they prefer lighter trekking shoes to hiking shoes made of heavy materials like leather.”
By Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
