‘Taste Hub Gangjin’ to Boost Its Image Leap

Gangjin-gun Explores Development Directions Through Meeting with Gangjin Hanjeongsik Specialty Restaurants

[Gangjin=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su] Gangjin County held a meeting with specialized Gangjin Hanjeongsik restaurants on the 15th at the Gangjin County Library to revitalize locally specialized cuisine.

At the meeting, seven restaurant owners of Hanjeongsik attended to explore ways for Gangjin Hanjeongsik, as a representative local dish, to not remain stagnant but take a step forward.

Known as the number one place for taste, Gangjin County is an optimal area for eco-friendly agriculture and is adjacent to clean waters, providing abundant fresh land and seafood ingredients, which has led to the development of Hanjeongsik.

Travel industry officials say that visitors to Gangjin want to experience a full Hanjeongsik table setting that makes them feel they are receiving delicious food and warm hospitality.

However, as modern travel trends shift towards small groups such as families, friends, and couples, there is a view that the traditional four-person Hanjeongsik table setting needs some changes.

The county plans to propose that establishments handling Gangjin Hanjeongsik challenge the hygiene grading system to improve hygiene standards, providing incentives such as connecting with professional consulting firms and supporting hygiene supplies upon grade designation.

They see the need to maintain authentic traditional flavors while incorporating modern styles in form, and through consulting for the local specialized food development project, they will consider proposals for two-person table settings and reflect improvements per establishment if necessary.

The restaurant owners attending the meeting said, “Hanjeongsik is a labor-intensive cuisine, but many workers have changed careers to become caregivers, so the biggest difficulty is finding staff,” and requested efforts to allow foreign workers to come to Gangjin to work.

Kim Eun-sook, head of the Food Hygiene Team, expressed gratitude to the owners who play a role in promoting Gangjin as the number one place for taste with sincere Hanjeongsik, and said, “Since the first step to attracting five million tourists is clean and delicious food, the county will focus on managing local restaurants to establish a high-quality food culture.”

Gangjin=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su gabrielw@asiae.co.kr

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