Korean food promote...

Team launched to promote Korean food
Source: The Korea Herald
Home>News>National
May 4'09 - Monday

A pan-government committee to promote Korean food was launched yesterday as part of Korea's effort to enhance the country's cultural recognition around the world.

The team joined by 36 food experts including ministers, scholars, food company CEOs and business leaders held a launching ceremony at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul.

Agriculture Minister Chang Tae-pyong, Culture Minister Yu In-chon and Yang Il-seon, Yonsei University professor for food and nutrition, will be co-heading the committee.

Top Korean star Bae Yong-joon, who also runs a Korean restaurant in Japan, as well as Huh Young-man, a celebrated comic strip artist of "Le Grand Chef" (Sikgaek), and Han Bok-ryeo, the president of the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine, will also participate in the team.

The Lee Myung-bak administration adopted a long-term vision of globalizing Korean cuisine late last year, as it embraced the food industry as one of the country's new growth engines.

The team will gather every half year and review necessary laws and systems to support the promotion of Korean dishes abroad, and check the progress made by each organization, the Culture Ministry said.

Under the team will be two advisory departments, one on developing infrastructure and R&D, and the other on funds, consulting, public relations and exports.

Headquarters will each be set up at the Agriculture and Food Ministry and Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation to take care of the details of the government's plans.

First Lady Kim Yoon-ok, who is an honorary chairman of the "globalizing Korean food" project, attended the ceremony and said, "For the globalization of Korean food, the government and the private sector must gather forces. In that sense, the launch of this team is extremely significant."

Each participating ministry also released their plans for the promotion at the ceremony.

TheMinistry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, which spearheads the initiative, said it will first focus on promoting bibimbab (rice mixed in red chili paste and vegetables), tteokbokgi (broiled dish of sliced rice cake in seasoned chili sauce), kimchi and traditional liquor this year.

Last month, the ministry announced its goal to put Korean food within the world's top five cuisines by 2017, such as by expanding the number of overseas Korean restaurant brands to 40,000. Currently about 1,400 Korean restaurants exist in the United States, 1,700 in Japan, 2,500 in China and 170 in Europe.

By 2012, the committee also aims to raise the total of agricultural products and food exports to $10 billion from 2008's $4.4 billion, and to boost exports of food materials by $3.5 billion from this year's estimated $90 million.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also released its plan to develop tourism packages related to Korean food, and promote the dishes through its overseas Korean cultural centers.

The Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry will be supporting the initiative through various major international events and embassies and legations abroad.

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy said it will support companies exporting Korean food items and allowing the use of Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency's logistics center as a center for Korean food and ingredients.

By Lee Joo-hee (angiely@heraldm.com)