`Mother of Cuisine’ Ha Dies at 87
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Ha Sun-jung, CEO of Ha Sung Jung General Food Co. and a major figure in the Korean culinary scene, passed away of old age Friday morning, Yonhap News announced. She was 87.
Born in 1922, Ha founded the nation's first culinary institute in 1954 in Jongno, downtown Seoul, now called Hascook, or Han Sung Jung Academy. She became a renowned businesswoman in the local food industry by manufacturing kimchi, ``jeotgal'' (spiced pickled seafood) and other food.
She is survived by her daughter, Park Heui-ji, director of Hascook Academy, and her son in law Kim Hang-gu, president of Hangjin TNT. Ha's ceremonial funeral hall was set up at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, and the funeral cortege left the hospital at 8 a.m., Sunday.