"Kimchi's Origin is Korea"… Japanese Housewife Submits Letter to Major Daily Newspaper

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Amid controversy over China spreading false information that kimchi, a traditional Korean food, originated in China, a Japanese housewife has drawn attention by submitting a letter to a local newspaper stating that the birthplace of kimchi is Korea.

A housewife named Sugino Kyoko (74) submitted an article titled "Korea is the Home of Kimchi" to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 2nd. The Yomiuri Shimbun is the newspaper with the largest circulation among Japanese daily newspapers.

She praised kimchi, saying that influenced by the Korean Wave, she visited Seoul about 10 years ago thinking she could meet handsome men, but she became so captivated by the charm of kimchi that she forgot about looking for handsome men.

Sugino recalled, "Wherever I went, the kimchi served at restaurants was delicious," and added, "When I told the restaurant staff 'It’s delicious,' I would hear the reply, 'It’s my mother’s cooking.'"

She added that she traveled to Seoul several times afterward, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that the purpose was to taste kimchi.

Furthermore, she expressed sympathy, saying, "Recently, there seems to be a movement in China claiming that 'kimchi is a traditional Chinese dish,'" and "I understand the feelings of Koreans who, after repeated research and contemplation, created the current kimchi, and are protesting against this."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.