"My mother said she bought 10-year-old Ganjang when she got married. And it was when I was in middle school, that is, when the Ganjang became 25 year old, that one day I was too sick to go to school but as soon as my mother cooked me some rice and mixed it with that Ganjang, I suddenly got much better and could go to school!"
In March 2010, Korean Food Foundation (www.hansik.org) was launched with Chung Woon-chun (gbs2008@hanmail.net), a former Minister of Ministry for Food Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries and members of Supreme Council of the Grand National Party Hanara, as the first chair. Korean food has hit the ground running in its quest to improve people's health around the world. "We need to study the root of Korean food", Mr.Chung says, "before moving on with the globalization campaign." It is bay salt, or Cheonilyeom in Korean, that he is especially keen to emphasize. You might have already realized this, but the tale quoted in the beginning was Mr. Chung's own story. His mother took him, who immediately regained health with the traditionally-made Ganjang, to Jangdokdae where there is a jar stand, and showed him different jars of Ganjang which were each 1-year, 2-years, and 3-years old. She did this to explain that only the salt older than 3 years can make proper Kimchi, Ganjang, Gochujang, and Doenjang.
With such influence from his mother from early on, Chair Chung had the salt which had been previously classified as mineral. It was included in the food category when the government declared 'Globalization of Korean Food' in October 2008, listing it as one of the six major ingredients that will lead the movement.
He is about to launch the very first project. The experiment in which the sperm counts of two groups of men - one who only ate Korean food, and the other, foreign food, for just a little over one month - were compared showed a surprising result. The difference was obvious in the multiplication and activity of the sperms, and "the sperm count of a man in his twenties who lives in the city eating predominantly meat-based western diet was comparable to that of a countryman in his fifties whose diet is mainly comprised of Korean food," according to Mr.Chung. The experiment demonstrated one of the excellent health benefits of Korean food.
A self-proclaimed 'Korean food lover,' Mr.Chung is currently leading another research with a budget of one billion won on the link between Korean food and its effect on patients with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, hyperlipemia, etc. The research is already producing reassuring signs as - although only about half of the full project has progressed as yet - all of the more than 20 patients participating in the experiment are showing positive effects. Their diet is traditionally 'Korean' with organically produced salt, Ganjang, Doenjang, Jeotgal (fermented fish) and rice. Mr. Chung explained the reason why Korean food is healthy by saying "Unlike western food counts only Calories, Korean puts foods in 3 categories, immunity which could be vital power, fiber, and nutritive value."
"The Globalization campaign of Korean Food was started with the idea that we can boost our traditional food culture that has thousands years of history and, therefore, Korea's rural community as well, while improving the health of Koreans and other people across the globe at the same time," Mr. Chung says. Only about five decades ago, Korea was desperately in need of food aid from other countries, and now the country is ready to take care of the health of the global community with Korean food of rich history and taste.
Korean food gains global popularity
Meanwhile, 'enzyme food' is emerging as an alternative to fast food that has long been held responsible for deteriorating modern people's health. New found viruses such as super bacteria and H1N1 have sent alarm signals to the weakening immune system of people across the globe. Fermented food is known to provide protection against such viruses. The six major ingredients selected by the organization are also included in enzyme food, which means Korea's food culture is now widely marketable to the international market.
Mr. Chung says, "in the midst of growing global interest in enzyme food, about 80 new Korean restaurants were opened in Paris over the last year and the popular television dramas that are based on traditional Korean food, such as Daejanggeum and Shikgaek,have made huge contribution to its publicity."
Globalization of Korean food seems to be more plausible than ever as food and hotel businesses in Korea are also making a move to take full advantage of this opportunity. Lotte Hotel has renewed and reopened the Korean restaurant 'Mugunghwa' in which the company invested a staggering five billion won; the main objective of the renovation was to serve premium-level Korean food to the customers. Hotel Shilla and Chosun are soon to follow suit.
Individual projects for Korean food globalization
Korean Food Foundation has prepared for a variety of projects in a bid to further spur the popularity of Korean food. The first plan is to conduct a joint research with the U.S. to publicize the excellence of Korean food and set out promotion through global magazines.
Furthermore, the Foundation is establishing accreditation program for the existing Korean restaurants, by selecting 60 out of more than 180 Korean restaurants in Tokyo to make a survey book to recommend and promote those who are selected. This program is planned to be expanded to a number of other cities around the world including LA, New York, Beijing, Shanghai, London, and Paris. In addition, a flagship will be set up in New York to endorse Korean food as well.
Other efforts of the Foundation include training new cooks and sending Korean food chefs to major events held at Korean embassies outside the country in order to promote the food for the leaders of different parts of the world.
Combination of Korean food and IT
"The combination of Korean food and IT is very important," says Chair Chung. "IT technology will enable the organization to keep track of manufacturing date, fermentation process, and production history of Korean food product such as Doenjang, Ganjang, Kimchi, Jeotgal, salt and so forth, which in turn helps to brand those products with official quality approval. Just like wines and cognacs are priced differently according to the region and its age, Doenjang too can be differentiated by traditional production methods and the associated health benefits."
Mr.Chung says his personal long-term aim is to create Doenjang and Gochujang towns so that anyone can learn and experience the traditional culture while simultaneously promoting healthy slow food movement. He believes that it is very important for people to realize the outstanding health benefits of Korean food which show great effects on many modern diseases. "I will demonstrate it myself by maintaining good health with traditional Korean diet," he concluded.
