Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
‘Kimchi cabbage’ added to global standard; seaweed on track for global recognition
The 48th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX) is held in Rome in this undated photo. Courtesy of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
By Lee Gyu-lee
Korea has successfully added the term "kimchi cabbage" to the global standard for kimchi, marking another milestone for the country’s iconic dish.
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX), an international body under the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization, approved the update during its 48th session held in Rome from Nov. 10 to 14.
The change adds "kimchi cabbage" to the existing ingredient names — Chinese cabbage and napa cabbage — updating the international standard that Korea first proposed in 2001, when kimchi was officially recognized by CODEX.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Food Research Institute shared their achievements at this year’s meeting on Monday, strengthening the international standing of Korea’s traditional agricultural and seafood products.
The ministries said this move will help solidify Korea’s reputation as the homeland of kimchi and distinguish authentic Korean kimchi from other similar products for its branding and export potential.
In addition to the kimchi cabbage update, CODEX also approved the start of global standardization efforts for gim (dried seaweed), which had previously been listed only under Asian regional standards.
Korea strongly proposed this initiative and gained wide support from CODEX member countries. This will allow Korea to take the lead in setting high-quality international standards for gim, reflecting the worldwide growth in seaweed consumption and enhancing its status as a flagship K-seafood product.
A representative from Korea participates in the 48th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX) in Rome in this undated photo. Courtesy of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
With global demand for seaweed rising, the Korean government expects this initiative to help increase trust in Korean gim overseas and strengthen its competitiveness in the global market, potentially expanding exports beyond the current target of $1 billion a year.
At the meeting, Korea was also elected to chair the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables. By chairing this committee, the country will have greater influence in shaping international standards for its key traditional foods, such as kimchi, gochujang (red chili paste) and ginseng.
It will also be able to take a more active role in establishing global standards for products popular in Asia, like sweet potatoes, chestnuts and persimmons.
This election builds on Korea’s strong track record in leading CODEX committees, such as chairing the ad hoc Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance and the coordinating committee for Asia and co-chairing the Codex Committee on Food Additives.
The ministries said this will further strengthen Korea’s ability to respond to overseas food regulations and expand K-food’s global markets.
Ken Lowery, head of the U.S. delegation and former chair of the Processed Fruits and Vegetables Committee, expressed that Korea has already shown excellent leadership chairing CODEX committees and that the United States will fully support Korea as it takes over this subcommittee.
Building on these outcomes, the Korean government plans to strengthen domestic and international partnerships to enhance global trust in K-food and expand its market presence worldwide. The government also pledged close inter-ministerial cooperation to ensure the successful global standardization of gim and the effective operation of the Processed Fruits and Vegetables Committee to maximize national interests.