Boseong County Designated as Korea Food Master... National Certification for Traditional Foods

Kim Youngmin, CEO of Gangsan Farm, Designated as Korea Food Master No. 97

Boseong County, South Jeolla Province, announced on December 8 that according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' designation of the "2025 Korea Food Master" (hereinafter referred to as Food Master), Kim Youngmin, CEO of Gangsan Farm, has been selected as Food Master No. 97, marking the first Food Master to emerge from Boseong County.

The Food Master system, established in 1994, is a national certification program that recognizes artisans with outstanding skills in food manufacturing, processing, and cooking, with the aim of preserving, inheriting, and developing Korea's traditional foods.

CEO Kim Youngmin, designated as Food Name No. 97, is taking a commemorative photo with Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Provided by Boseong County

This year, the evaluation was conducted with 37 candidates recommended by each city and province. After a comprehensive assessment of historical authenticity, proof and succession of skills, preservation and protection value, industrial potential, and ethical standards, a field investigation by experts and the final review by the Food Industry Promotion Committee resulted in a total of seven individuals being designated as Food Masters.

Food Masters receive various forms of support, including documentation of their skills, incentives for training successors, consulting and promotion for product commercialization, and more.

Master Kim Youngmin inherited the family’s bellflower vinegar brewing method, which has been passed down through three generations. After settling in Boseong in 1992 and establishing Gangsan Farm, he has devoted over 30 years to researching fermented foods and modernizing traditional techniques.

The bellflower vinegar brewing method held by Master Kim has been recognized as a valuable technique, as it matches the traditional fermentation vinegar methods documented in old texts such as Bakhaetonggo and Imwonsibyukji, and the family-inherited process has also been verified through literature.

An official from the county stated, "It is highly significant that the first Korea Food Master has been born in Boseong County," and added, "We will continue to foster the traditional food industry so that Boseong's outstanding traditional foods can become competitive not only in Korea but also in the global market."

Meanwhile, Master Kim Youngmin's products have won numerous awards at agricultural product fairs, processed agricultural product competitions, and Korean food exhibition contests since 2000. In 2013, Kim was selected as a "New Knowledge Farmer" by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for leading rural innovation in the field of agricultural food processing.

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