Cheong Wa Dae treats North Koreans with all-Korean cuisiine

By Oh Young-jin

Cheong Wa Dae offered a table of food representing all eight provinces of the old Korea to the North Korean delegation including its leader Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong and its ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam.

The presidential office said that the main dish was made from dried pollack from Gangwon Province, home to the ongoing Olympic host city PyeongChang. Although it didn’t elaborate, hwangtae, pollack that is dried until it turns yellow, is used for a variety of dishes but since it was served for lunch, the likelihood is that it was steamed or boiled with spicy or salty seasoning.

The traditional liquor, “soju,” from Jeju Island was served for toasts.

Moon had talks with the North Korean delegation and their talks extended into lunch.

For dessert, walnut cookies from Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and dried persimmons from Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province, were served.

North Korea-flavored white kimchi, in which red peppers are not used, was also served.