Spam: From ashes of war to holiday gift

JINCHEON, South Korea - From the front lines of war to a staple of institutional catering, Spam is rarely seen as a gourmet ingredient - but the canned pink meat holds a unique position in South Korea as a top-selling gift.

Ahead of the Chuseok harvest festival which started on Sunday - one of the country's biggest celebrations and an occasion for mass family gatherings - presentation wooden boxes of the blue-and-yellow tins, nestled in packing straw, line the shelves of major retailers and convenience stores.

An upmarket black-label pack with six cans of Spam and two bottles of Andalusian olive oil costs over 90,000 won ($80), but the most popular version is a nine-tin set at 30,000 won.