US House to Adopt Resolution Declaring December 6 as 'Kimchi Day'...

The United States is expected to officially commemorate November 22 as 'Kimchi Day' at the federal government level every year.

Exterior view of the U.S. Congress building [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the Korean American Immigration History Museum on the 25th (local time), the U.S. House Oversight Committee decided to bring the Kimchi Day resolution to the floor for adoption on December 6.

Previously, some U.S. states such as California, Virginia, and New York declared Kimchi Day as a commemorative day, but this is the first time that Congress has resolved to designate it as an official commemorative day at the federal level.

The Kimchi Day commemorative resolution will be adopted in the form of an announcement by Korean American Republican Representative Young Kim (California) at the floor without a vote. Representative Kim introduced the resolution on behalf of 14 Republican and Democratic members.

The Korean American Immigration History Museum, which led the resolution adoption process from drafting to persuading individual members along with Representative Kim, explained, "The leadership of both parties coordinated so that it would be adopted without a vote as a token of appreciation to the Korean American community."

The resolution to be announced by Representative Kim includes that kimchi is a traditional Korean food rich in various nutrients such as probiotics and vitamins, and that recently it has been loved by diverse consumers in the U.S., not just Korean Americans. The resolution to designate Kimchi Day as an official federal commemorative day was first introduced last year but was discarded due to the expiration of the session.

It also mentioned that this year marks the 120th anniversary of Korean immigration to the Americas, the 70th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance, and the various contributions of the Korean American community to the United States.

November 22, designated as Kimchi Day, is the day proclaimed by the Korea Kimchi Association, and it has been a legal commemorative day in Korea since 2020.

The Korean American Immigration History Museum plans to hold a Kimchi Day establishment commemorative event on December 6 at the Cannon Caucus Room in the Rayburn Building of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., in line with the adoption of the Kimchi Day resolution.

Meanwhile, a source from the U.S. Congress explained, "Since resolutions adopted by Congress do not have legal binding force, they can be effective even if approved by only one chamber, either the Senate or the House."

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