[ad_1]
South Korea has rejected false information that China has achieved global certification for the production of kimchi, a sacred food for Koreans, according to the BBC.
Last week, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published new rules for the production of horse pao, a type of fermented and salted vegetable preparation from China.
Some Chinese media organizations have claimed that it affects kimchi, which has required clarification from South Korea.
This is the latest misunderstanding between the two neighbors.
There are many types of kimchi, a spicy pickle dish usually made from cabbage. Kimchi is mostly served in China as pao cai, but the country has its own variation of the food, which it also calls pao cai.
Earlier this month, the ISO released new rules for the production, transport and storage of horses. Authorities in Sichuan province, where most of China’s pao horses are produced, have lobbied for certification.
Although the ISO list clearly states “this document does not apply to kimchi”, some Chinese media organizations suggest otherwise.
The Global Times, run by the nationalist state, called it “an international standard for the Chinese-led kimchi industry.”
South Korean media reports disputed the claims, which sparked riots on social media.
The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture has released a statement saying international standards for kimchi were approved by the United Nations in 2001.
“It is not appropriate to relate (certification of the pao horse) without differentiating the kimchi from the pao horse, which belongs to the Chinese province of Sichuan,” he said.
Traditionally, kimchi is made by washing and salting vegetables, before adding spices and fermented seafood and placing the product in earthenware pots under the ground. The annual production ritual, known as Kimjang, has been listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by the World Cultural Organization Unesco.
Due to the increased demand in the country, South Korea imports significant quantities of kimchi from Chinese producers. Meanwhile, Korean kimchi exported to China is almost non-existent, due to China’s strict regulations on pickled products.
Food has served as a focal point for diplomatic conflicts in recent years. The 2001 international codification of the kimchi recipe came after a dispute with another pickle-loving neighboring country, Japan.
Publisher: Alexandru Costea
.
[ad_2]
Source link
