SEOUL — A South Korean liquor manufacturer will distribute "makgeolli," a type of traditional Korean rice wine, to a major Japanese convenience store chain starting this week, the company said on Monday, raising hopes that exports of the product to Japan will continue to grow. Woorisul Co. said two kinds of its makgeolli, a milky brew with an alcohol content of 6-7 per cent, will debut at 500 stores of 7-Eleven Japan Co., the operator of the nation's top convenience store chain, on Tuesday. The launch is expected to further expand the South Korean firm's sales network in Japan after it made its makgeolli products available at top four department stores in Japan at the end of last year. Woorisul first made inroads into the Japanese market by selling makgeolli to retail giant Carrefour and major liquor shops in the country.