Thirty-one companies have signed up for South Korea's K-Brand Government Certification System, including Samyang Foods, the maker of Buldak spicy chicken ramen. (EPA Images pic)

SEOUL: South Korea's president said Wednesday the country is taking steps to protect the country's booming cultural cache, launching a new "K-brand" authentication system that will let consumers know if goods they are purchasing are the real deal.

Led by K-pop acts such as BTS, hit Netflix series "Squid Game" and "KPop Demon Hunters", the so-called "Hallyu", or Korean cultural wave, saw content exports hit a record US$14.9 billion last year, surpassing overseas sales of computers and home appliances.

The popularity of so-called K-food and K-beauty products, meanwhile, saw exports of agricultural and fisheries products and cosmetics hit record highs of US$12.4 billion and US$11.4 billion, respectively.