Kimchi figures hard to swallow
 

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea (news - web sites) got a pungent lesson on globalisation this year, when imports of kimchi -- the garlicky, fermented cabbage dish synonymous with its cuisine -- surpassed exports for the first time, officials say.

The Korea Herald daily newspaper called the trend a blow to national pride that would be as hard to swallow as if Italy were to buy its pasta from India. Producers are competing with Chinese kimchi that is half the price of local brands.

Imports of cheap Chinese-made kimchi rocketed an annual 174 percent in the first quarter of this year, eclipsing exports of the treasured national dish by nearly 3,000 tonnes, according to the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation.

Although the bulk of kimchi eaten in South Korean homes remains domestically produced, Chinese kimchi is gaining market share in restaurants and school and company cafeterias.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...a_china_kimchi

Maybe they should raise the tax on the imports then there would be less worry of about more foreign kimchi.

This is a great thread. Awesome topic.

-Rudey

My fiance lived in South Korea for two years, and is absolutely obsessed with Kimchi. We're even having some at our wedding reception..and no, it won't be the Chinese version :)

Something smells funny about this Kimchi thing.

Blehhhh. Not a kimchi fan. Can't say I'm disappointed they're cutting back their exports.

BLECH. I love kim chee and I could eat it for days (only if I was alone and not kissing anyone anytime soon), but have any of you TRIED Chinese kim chee? BARF.

I blame my love for kim chee because of dating Jason Halm, heir to the Halm family brand kim chee business in Hawaii, in high school. His family wasn't even Korean.