Kimchi-making Tradition

Our people have regarded it as a traditional custom to make Kimchi in late autumn at every house.

Kimchi is a vegetable dish which is made by seasoning various vegetables or wild edible greens with spices, fruit, meat, fish or fermented seafood before undergoing lactic fermentation.

Our people make Kimchi around the Ripdong (beginning of winter), the １９th of the ２４ seasonal divisions according to the lunar calendar which falls in November. So, our people call November "Kimjangdal" (the month of Kimchi-making).

Kimchi-making custom has mainly passed down either through mothers to daughters or through mothers-in-law to daughters-in-law or orally among housewives.

Kimchi-making is also transferred among neighbours, relatives or other members of the society who help each other with its practical making.

What is more, working collectively and sharing know-hows and materials with each other in Kimjang (making a large quantity of Kimchi for winter months) boost cooperative relations among families, villages and communities.

There are some differences in ingredients, recipe and taste according to localities and families as each locality has different natural climatic conditions.

Those in the west coastal areas mix shrimps or croakers with spices and those in the east coastal areas mix Pollack (myongthae) with spices.

The kinds of Kimchi are so many such as pickled whole, white Kimchi, hot pickles of chopped radishes, pickled sliced radishes seasoned with pepper and radishes pickled in salt water.

Kimchi holds an important position in our people’s dietary life.

Kimchi-making custom was recorded in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the UNESCO in ２０１５.

Rodong Sinmun