Traditional liquor comes to train stations as government expands rail sales network

Travelers will soon be able to pick up locally made traditional liquor at train stations across South Korea. The government plans to expand sales channels to major KTX stations and Korail-operated convenience stores, starting with a pilot at Daejeon Station.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs signed an MOU with the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation (aT) and Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) on Tuesday to promote traditional liquor consumption and broaden distribution channels for regional breweries.

In the second half of this year, Daejeon Station will host a pop-up store called "Brewery by Train," where breweries from the Chungcheong region and neighboring areas will rotate on a monthly basis to sell and showcase their local traditional liquors. The government plans to roll the initiative out to major KTX stations nationwide based on the pilot's results.

At Storyway, the convenience store chain operated by Korail, the government will expand sales of award-winning traditional liquors from the Woori Liquor Competition and hold tasting events. The aim is to make it easier for rail passengers to purchase traditional liquor while traveling.

Part of Chandleumaru — a sales hall for small agro-industrial food companies at Yongsan Station — will also be converted into a dedicated traditional liquor retail space. It will operate as a permanent outlet where participating breweries rotate in, and will host special exhibitions featuring Woori Liquor Competition winners, holiday promotions and tasting events. The goal is to establish it as a flagship traditional liquor hub for the Greater Seoul area.

The Agriculture Ministry also plans to develop tourism products linking brewery visits with rail travel. It intends to create traditional liquor tourism itineraries that combine brewery experiences with local produce and regional cuisine, boosting both local tourism and consumption.

"This agreement is significant in that it establishes a new retail foundation connecting regional breweries with consumers through the railroad — a platform woven into everyday life," said Jeong Gyeong-seok, the ministry's director general for food industry policy. "We will continue to drive distribution innovation and expand the consumer base so that traditional liquor can become a more familiar part of people's daily lives."