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makgeolli is a familiar sake and is exported to many foreign countries. However, most of the makgeolli is not a traditional liquor under the current law. The government saw that there was a contradiction in these standards and started to revise the law, it was confirmed as a result of the interview.

This is an exclusive report by reporter Jo Ki-ho.

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These are the Korean alcoholic beverages that are consumed a lot in the
market.

Which ones belong to traditional liquors?

[Kim Seung-hwan/College student: Among them, I think makgeolli is the closest traditional liquor.]

[Lim Jung-yeon/Office worker: I think makgeolli is a drink that can only be eaten in Korea, so I think it's a traditional liquor.]

Under current law, if it is produced directly by an agricultural management organization or if it uses 100% local produce, it is classified as a traditional liquor.

Even if it is not 100% of our grain, if it is made by an intangible cultural property holder, and if it is made by a food master, it is also recognized as a traditional liquor.

Since rice, which is the main ingredient of longevity makgeolli is not a regular rice, it is a reserve or imported rice, so baekseju is mixed with some imported starch, so Huayo is made by a general liquor manufacturer and is not classified as a traditional liquor.

Only elemental liquors made by the Gangwon Provincial Agricultural Management Association with 100% raw rice are legally eligible for traditional liquor.

If you are recognized as a traditional liquor, you can sell it online and get a 50% reduction in state tax.

[Nam Do-hee/Secretary-General of the Korea Makgeolli Association: (Rice wine) has even been made as a national cultural asset, but everyone is upset because it is not recognized as a traditional liquor. Breweries have been operating in the area for more than 100 years.]

The government has decided to revise the standards for traditional liquor to revitalize the traditional liquor market.

By adding "traditional manufacturing methods" to the existing classification of traditional liquors, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of Planning and Finance will soon begin consultations to change the law.

An official from the National Tax Service said, "If we manufacture sake in our traditional way, it is correct to classify it as a traditional liquor, even if it is mixed with imported rice."

However, the backlash from domestic farmers over the use of imported rice and the issue of equity that could result in more tax incentives for large liquor manufacturers remain a challenge.

(Video Editor: Kim Ho-jin, CG: Kang Yoon-jung, Son Hoseok, VJ: Park Hyun-woo)