The Chosun Ilbo reports that Korea is joining an exclusive club of countries now bottling deep-sea water, along with U.S., Japan, Norway and Taiwan. The deep-sea water industry claims health benefits to the deep-sea water because it’s “clean and bacteria free”. Craig hates the idea of this stuff, but he tried deep water from Kona, and he liked it.
The first bottled deep sea water made its debut in Korea on Thursday, with the launch of CJ’s Ulleung Mine-water.
The drinking water is processed from sea water that is pumped from a depth of 650 m below the surface of the East Sea off Ulleung Island, which is 130 km from the mainland.
Deep sea water is clean and free of bacteria and other living things since it comes from depths beyond the reach of sunlight.
The launch of Ulleung Mine-water is expected to be just the first salvo in a battle to sell bottled deep sea water. Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co. plans to begin selling deep sea water next month, and Watervis, another deep sea water extractor, is expected to launch its own brand soon.
Industry watchers say three or four companies will advance into the bottled deep sea water market.
CJ expects sales of Ulleung Mine-water to reach W3.5 billion (US$1=W916) next year and climb to W10 billion by 2010.
Korea is only the fifth nation in the world, after the U.S., Japan, Norway and Taiwan, to begin bottling deep sea water, since the process requires advanced technology.
“Deep sea water is clean and free of bacteria and other living things since it comes from depths beyond the reach of sunlight.”
Um… Care to place a friendly wager on that? I’ll bring the Sybr, if you (CJ’s Ulleung Mine-water) bring a microscope.
Did we learn nothing from microbe week? I guess they don’t read the blog.