Diplomatic Corps' participation in the 5th Goesan Kimjang Festival!
"Visiting Diplomats enjoyed Goesan Kimchi Festival to the fullest!"
With the special participation from members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps in the 5th Goesan Kimjang Festival, it paved the way for its glabalization so that the Goesan Kimjang Festival can develop as a global festival where peoples around the world will visit Goesan to benchmark Kim-chi making process.
Senior diplomats over 20 peoples who were comprised of Ambassadors wives, 1st, 2nd & 3rd secretaries from each Embassies in Seoul and correspondents including its media partner Intl Cultural Heritage Strategy Center(www.icpsc.kr) staffs enjoyed Goesan Kimjang Festival to the fullest by the guidance of Goesan county officials & staffs, in particular regarding how to make Kimjang in preparation of food stuffs during the cold winter season.
Visiting diplomats pose with wife of Goesan county mayor(sixth from left, wrapping up their Kimchi-making experience.
The official opening ceremony of the 5th Goesan Kimjang Festival took place at Goesan Sports Complex while honorable Goesan county mayor Song In-hun & his Mme, honorable Governor Kim Young-whan from North Chung Province, parliamentary council chairman Shin Song-kyu from Goesan County were on hand including Goesan residents over 3000 peoples gathered there to enjoy opening performances etc.
Touching upon the fact that Goesan is one of Korea’s best healing designation, Goesan county mayor Song said that we are very proud to present you the best Organic Farming and longevity including above all Goesan Kimjang Festival.
General participants at Goesan Kimjang Festival. (courtesy: Goesan County)
According to mayor Song, the secret of longevity among Goesan residents lies in the warm hearts of its people, the clean natural environment, great food and product of the community such as Organic potatoes, corns, Goesan red peppers, salted cabbages, apples, ginseng, Korean beef, pork and local culinary traditions and last but not least Goesan Kimchi among others.
Also Goesan is well-known for chunghyo (filial piety to the king and parents), where people have valued the tradition of chung-hyo-ye (filial piety and righteousness). Moreover, it is also the town of longevity that has the most number of people over 100 years old, according to Goesan county officials.
Goesan Kimchi guide explaining the value of Goesan Kimchi compared with Chinese Kimchi.
In his congratulatory speech as well, honorable Governor Kim Young-whan from North Chung Province said that Goesan is a place where its Kimchi cabbage is the most delicious among North Chung Province regions, recommending other citizens from Seoul Metropolitan Area etc. to visit Goesan in order to prepare winter kimchi there.
Before its official opening ceremony, visiting diplomats dropped by Goesan General Sports Complex in order to hear explanations about the excellence of Goesan Kimchi compared with Chinese Kimchi and in particular to learn how to make it at the General Sports Complex.
Hanji experience at Goesan Hanji Museum.
Pointing out that there are hundreds of different types of kimchi made with different vegetables as the main ingredients, Goesan Kimchi guide said the strengths of Goesan Kimchi lie in using most delicious Kimchi cabbage and its peculiar incredients such as the best red pepper in the nation in addition to its clean environment for making Kimchi.
As to Goesan pepper for reference, Goesan produces peppers with a unique taste and flavor with bright colors, thanks to its 250m high mountainous area, which produces a huge temperature difference between day time and night time, along with the clean natural environment.
Jungwon University president Hwang greeting to visiting diplomats at the campus' round-table meeting of the confernce hall.
75% of the land in Goesan is forest and many crops are grown. Among the agricultural produce, Goesan’s peppers and daehak corn are mostly widely grown. Peppers grow everywhere in the country, but the temperature and humidity are crucial in order to produce peppers with great flavor and taste. Soil also must contain high water in order to produce the best quality peppers, according to Goesan county officials.
Traditionally, winter kimchi, called kimjang, was stored in large earthenware fermentation vessels, called onggi, in the ground to prevent freezing during the winter months and to keep it cool enough to slow down the fermentation process during summer months. The vessels are also kept outdoors in special terraces called jangdokdae. In contemporary times, household kimchi refrigerators are more commonly used.
Jungwon University president Hwang presiding over the luncheon for the visiting diplomats at its Club House.
Mme. Jeanette Somocurcio, spouse of Peru Amb and Mme. Kirom Oblogulova, spouse of Tajikistan Amb. seemed to show their special interest in making Kimchi in the hopes of delivering it to their husband and their families after returning to Seoul rather than general diplomats, according to the feeling of the organizers.
In the morming, visiting diplomats & Amb. wives visited Jungwon University as part of visit programs with regard to Goesan Kimjang Festival while president Hwang Yun-won was presiding over its welcoming round-table meeting to welcome Diplomatic Coprs.
Presiding its round-table meeting with visiting diplomats at the conference hall, president Hwang said Jungwon University’s educational mission is to cultivate future global talents in order to realize our educational mission. Our university is equipped with excellent faculty, cutting-edge educational facilities, and various programs focusing on differentiated curriculum and educational methods. through our founding philosophy of coexistence and the values of Sincerity, Reverence, and Faith, he added.
Also, we provide scholarship to all members the incoming students, as well as the nation's best residential dormitories for all students in order to create the best academic atmosphere, Hwang said.
Through her return remarks, Peru Amb. spouse Mme. Jeanette Somocurcio, spouse of Peru Amb said we visiting diplomats understand that by establishing a cooperative relationship with internationally recognized universities, research institutions, and corporations, Jungwon University has created a support system providing academic exchanges, student exchanges, foreign training, study abroad, and internship abroad for its faculty and students. Against this backdrop so our visiting diplomats have great expectations and hopes to cooperate with Jungwon Univeristy in the years to come in terms of students exchanges in particular, she said.
Hanji Museum tour before heading to the festival venue.
Also according to Greetings from the Founder, The foundation of Jungwon University has been making the best efforts in order to promote national interests and the welfare of the people by engaging in projects in education, medicine, social welfare, and charity. Especially, the foundation has been promoting its educational projects in order to raise talents who will serve as the pillar of the development of the nation and the humanity.
In the afternoon, visiting diplomats dropped by Goesan Hanji Museum to have Hanji experience there before going to the festival venue of the 5th Goesan Kimjang Festival.
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