Gangwon Governor Woo Sang-ho urges greater cabbage consumption while making kimjang in Pyeongchang

[Financial News, Pyeongchang = Kim Gi-seop, Staff Writer] Gangwon State Governor Woo Sang-ho showed his support for farmers worried by falling cabbage prices by making kimjang himself with Pyeongchang highland cabbage.
According to Gangwon State on the 10th, Governor Woo visited Jinbu-myeon Community Sports Park in Pyeongchang County, where the 9th Pyeongchang Highland Kimjang Festival was in full swing, and mixed seasoning into cabbage with about 10 first graders from Jinbu Elementary School. After hearing from the festival committee chair about how the event was being run, he made kimchi with the children and shared with them the meaning of the traditional kimjang culture.
The visit came as cabbage prices are expected to be weak this year. The government forecast that this year's autumn cabbage production would rise 18.5% from last year, while demand for kimjang cabbage would fall 9.1%. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is running a campaign called “Kimjang: Adding and Sharing, the Happiness of One More Head of Cabbage,” and Gangwon State also plans to use the festival to encourage residents to make kimjang with one more head of cabbage and share it with their neighbors.
Governor Woo then moved to the kimjang experience area for tourists with actress Kim Cheong, the festival's promotional ambassador. As they made kimchi, they talked about the taste and quality of highland cabbage. He also toured agricultural and specialty product promotion and sales venues and heard opinions on the ground about ways to increase consumption of local farm products.
The festival, which opened on the 4th, runs for 13 days through the 16th. The kimjang experience costs 69,000 won for the standard option and 79,000 won for the premium option, based on 10 kg. The festival uses 216 tonnes of salted cabbage from 18 farms and about 15 tonnes of dried red peppers from 74 farms, also providing local farms with a market outlet.
Governor Woo said, “This year's cabbage harvest is bumper, but kimjang demand has fallen, pushing prices down, and farmers are very worried. If each and every resident makes kimjang with one more head of cabbage and shares it with neighbors in need, it will support farmers and bring warmth to those neighbors.” He added, “We will pass kimjang culture on to children and actively support local festivals so that Gangwon produce, such as highland cabbage, can grow alongside tourism.”

[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter