Kimchi is not just pickled cabbage, but plays an important role in Korean food culture, and its production process has received global standard recognition for nearly two decades, the Yonhap News Agency reported, citing Seoul's Ministry of Agriculture.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs made the statement in protest of Chinese media claims that Beijing had won a certificate from the International Standards Organization (ISO) for its kimch making process.
According to Bernama, the ministry said Beijing won the ISO certificate for pao cai, another pickled vegetable that is one of the dishes in China, it 'has nothing to do with kimchi'.
"We need to understand that pao cai is different from kimchi," the ministry said.
China began the process of pao chai standards in 2019, and five ISO members - China, Turkey, India, Iran and Serbia - last week approved it according to ISO documents, which also reportedly said ‘This document is not subject to kimchi’.
The ministry said the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a body under the United Nations (UN), officially recognized the industry standard for kimchi in 2001, stating the ingredients, food labeling and product names.
China's demand to make international standards for kimchi sparked a heated reaction among local media outlets, as many consider kimchi to be Korea's main food and are often associated with national identity.
The whole process of making kimchi, called ‘kimjang’ - washing and salting vegetables, sauteing them with garlic, red pepper and salted fish and storing them in clay jars - was announced as a UNESCO Intangible Human Heritage in 2013.
