South Korea’s wine imports soared to a record high in 2020 as more people enjoyed drinking and partied at home due to the coronavirus outbreak, government data showed Monday.

South Korea imported $239 million worth of wines in the January-November period last year, much higher than the $204 million for the whole of 2019, according to the data by the Korea Customs Service.

If the December numbers are included, last year’s value of wine imports will far exceed the previous year’s tally.

Last year’s figure was also more than double the $113 million recorded in 2011.

Chile was the top exporter of red wine to Asia’s fourth-largest economy last year, followed by France, the United States, Italy and Spain.

South Korea imported the largest amount of white wine from France, trailed by Italy, Chile, America and New Zealand, according to the data. (Yonhap)