The role of traditional Korean food and clothing, such as Kimchi and Hanbok, in promoting Korean culture is nothing new. But these icons of unquestionably “Korean” heritage — or at least that is what Koreans have proudly believed for centuries — are playing an unexpected role as China is claiming ownership to them. Now Kimchi and Hanbok are serving as diplomacy tools, providing ammunition to the Korean government’s effort to fend off cultural challenges from China.
New Culture Minister Hwang Hee recently said during a press conference that he would step up efforts to promote Kimchi and Hanbok overseas as part of “cultural diplomacy” (The MoneyToday). The marks the government’s support of a second wave of “Hallyu”, or ‘The Korean Wave’, around the world in 2021. Referring to an increase in global popularity of South Korean culture, the “Hallyu” wave has been key in promoting local entertainment and cosmetic industries. The Ministry of Culture recently announced their renewed, or strengthened, commitment to cultural exchanges, issuing 46 million dollars for ‘cultural’ businesses affected by the pandemic (The Korean Herald).
This announcement comes on the heels of a Chinese state tabloid’s claim that China had “led” the development of an international standard for pickled vegetables equivalent to Kimchi. This report has brought about a rage among many South Koreans, who consider Kimchi quintessentially Korean (The Chosun Ilbo).
Riding on the back of increasingly strong pro-Kimchi sentiments shared by the South Korean population, Manifold, an online digital platform organized by the Korea Arts Management Service, is joining forces in the Cultural Ministry’s renewed ‘Kimchi diplomacy’ (The Korea Times). Manifold will be key in achieving the Ministry’s goal of helping producers expand to relevant platforms and shifting to digital, non-contact methods.
But some government officials caution against making too big a deal of the Kimchi remark made by the Chinese agency. “We cannot categorically brush off China’s claim to picked vegetables in their entirety,” said an official from the Ministry of Culture.
Indeed, Minister Hwang subsequently clarified that “China is an important training partner for Korea and to emphasize that a possible diplomatic clash with China would not be desirable” (Yon Hap Agency).
While the year 2021–2022 marks the “Year of ROK-China Cultural Exchange”, it remains to be seen how the Korea-China cultural spat will unfold in the coming months. However, it is expected that the new minister will attempt to mend bridges rather than burn them to prioritize future cultural exchanges. His new goals include a 123.2 trillion won jump in profits from industry sales by the end of 2021 as compared to 2020. In a press conference in February, Hwang said, “In 2021, the culture ministry will put in all our efforts into making a year where the lives of people recover through culture and our society becomes more embracing and leaps into a leading country in the world.”
