Imports of coffee beans hit an all-time high last year, in the latest sign of Koreans' unwavering love for the caffeinated drink.

Korea imported a record US$1.34 billion worth of coffee beans in 2022, up 42.4 percent compared to 2021, the Korea Customs Service said on Tuesday. It is double the amount of coffee imported in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

KCS said, "Not even the pandemic has been able to dampen coffee consumption here. Rather, it appears to have grown greatly after lockdown was lifted in April last year."