Kim Hye-kyung stated on October 23 that "Korean cuisine embodies our unique spirit of community," expressing her hope that the charm of Korean food and the beauty of our culture will be widely recognized around the world.
During her speech at the first Korean Cuisine Day ceremony held at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, she remarked, "Since ancient times, we have shared meals with family and neighbors, exchanging warmth and experiencing joy and sorrow together."
She also referenced the tradition of sharing kimchi after the kimjang season and distributing rice cakes during housewarming or celebratory occasions, saying, "Through Korean cuisine, we have conveyed our feelings to one another."
Kim emphasized, "I hope that the warm sentiments embedded in our food will be passed down to future generations with the establishment of Korean Cuisine Day."
She added, "Now, Korean cuisine is extending beyond our tables to those of people around the world," expressing her desire for this Korean Cuisine Day to be a meaningful opportunity for Korean food to showcase its appeal globally and for our culture's beauty to be widely recognized.
The ceremony was attended by Kim Jong-goo, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Lee Kyu-min, Chairman of the Korean Cuisine Promotion Institute; diplomats from 15 countries; and industry professionals related to Korean cuisine. The event was held a day before the designated Korean Cuisine Day on October 24.
After the ceremony, Kim visited the Korean Cuisine Festival booth at the Mirror Pond Plaza, where she made persimmon rolls with the spouses of ambassadors from Mexico, Peru, and Turkmenistan.
Wearing an apron and gloves, Kim placed two walnuts inside a persimmon and rolled it up like gimbap. She explained to the ambassadors' spouses in English how to wrap it tightly, and while holding up the finished persimmon roll, she said, "Looks like candy, persimmon candy," eliciting laughter.
While tasting the persimmon rolls and sujeonggwa, she remarked, "I feel a bit guilty that we are the only ones eating this; I wonder where the ambassadors are," which drew laughter from the attendees.
Kim introduced sujeonggwa as a Korean beverage made with ginger and cinnamon. When the instructor mentioned that it can be easily made with just those two ingredients, she added in English, "And sugar."
During the experience, she discussed with Chef Jo Hee-sook about how to enjoy sujeonggwa warm and introduced the ambassadors' spouses to baesuk, a Korean pear dessert.
After the experience, Kim and the ambassadors' spouses held up containers of the persimmon rolls they made and shouted "Kimchi" while taking a commemorative photo.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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