Chinese Foods Dominate Ritual Table
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Japan and many other countries are abuzz over the safety of ``made-in-China'' products, but Seollal holiday foods are unlikely to be China-free.
Many housewives and market distributors complain that the soaring price of domestic vegetables and other ingredients is drawing them to Chinese products, which are only about half the price.
It is only five days since the Japanese government found some Chinese dumplings being distributed in the country contained toxic ingredients. The Korean Food and Drug Administration has tried to assure the nation that the food is not distributed in Korea.
But many Korean customers are anxious over the possible toxicity of the Chinese products. Still, they are turning to the Chinese products because they are cheap.
Most of the fish used in ritual ceremonies is also from China as is the bean sprouts. ``Not many people seek for Korean ones because they are quite expensive,'' a clerk at Lotte Mart said.
In local traditional markets the bean sprouts are all from China.
A bundle of dried persimmons produced in Korea was 5,800 won while Chinese ones went for 3,000 won. Korean green beans were 6,400 won per 500 grams while the Chinese ones were 2,200 won.
``If I try to buy only Korean foods, I need more than 200,000 won to buy sesame oil, vegetables, rice cakes, fruit, fish, meat and other kinds. But if I buy Chinese products I can save up to 70,000 won. I have no choice,'' Han Hee-ryoung, a housewife, said explaining about the tofu, beans and other vegetables she had bought though feeling reluctant to buy them.
``I heard about the dumplings, sure they are not sold around here, right?'' she asked.