<P> In the Philippines, Spam is a popular food item and seen as a cultural symbol . It is prepared and used in a variety of ways, including being fried, served alongside condiments, or used in sandwiches . The canned meat's popularity transcends economic class, and Spam gift sets are even used as homecoming gifts . There are more than 9 different varieties of Spam currently available in the country and an estimated 1.25 million kilos of the meat is sold every year in the Philippines . During the rescue efforts after Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) in 2009, Hormel Foods donated over 30,000 pounds of Spam to the Philippine National Red Cross . </P> <P> In later years, the surfeit of Spam in both North and South Korea during the Korean War led to the establishment of the Spam kimbap (rice and vegetable filled seaweed roll). Because of a scarcity of fish and other traditional kimbap products such as kimchi or fermented cabbage, Spam was added to a rice roll with kimchi and cucumber and wrapped in seaweed . Spam was also used by US soldiers in Korea as a means of trading for items, services or information around their bases . </P> <P> In South Korea, Spam (Hangul: 스팸; RR: seupaem, licensed from Hormel by CJ CheilJedang) is popular with a majority of the population, and outranks Coca - Cola and KFC in status as a foodstuff . Today, South Korea produces and consumes more Spam than any other country except the United States . </P> <P> Spam is also an original ingredient in budae jjigae ("army base stew"), a spicy stew with different types of preserved meat . </P>

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