What UNESCO listed was not kimchi itself but kimjang, the communal making and sharing of it. This autumn's kimjang basket is a mixed bag: cabbage got cheaper, salted shrimp got a lot dearer.
A custom, not a dish
The 2013 entry on UNESCO's Representative List is titled 'Kimjang, making and sharing kimchi in the Republic of Korea'. It recognises neighbours and families making big batches together and sharing them to get through winter.
UNESCO places kimjang season in late autumn, with communities timing the work by weather forecasts. Methods differ by region.
From mother-in-law to daughter-in-law
According to UNESCO, the know-how is typically passed from a mother-in-law to a newly married daughter-in-law. Households buy shrimp and anchovies for fermenting in spring, sea salt in summer, and dry and grind red chilli in late summer.
Kimjang day is really the last day of a year-long project.
This year's basket: cabbage down, salted shrimp up
As of Oct. 8, napa cabbage retailed at 5,833 won a head, down 12.85% from a year earlier, per aT data. The Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) expects fall cabbage output of 1.222 million tonnes, up 19%.
Salted shrimp, by contrast, is 18,984 won per kg, up 23.43% and more than 15% above an average year. Radish had a weak start, and the agriculture ministry says its supply needs close management.
Are fewer people making kimjang?
KREI's household purchase-intention index for kimchi stands at 91.2; anything under 100 means falling demand. Cheap cabbage does not help much when the seasonings cost more.
From Oct. 12 to Nov. 30 the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service tests kimjang vegetables for pesticide residue, holding or destroying anything over the limit.
