SOKOR REBUFFS CHINA CLAIM ON WINNING CERTIFICATION FOR ITS KIMCHI

Kimchi is not just fermented cabbage but a central part of Korea's food culture, and the process of making it has already been recognized as a global standard for nearly two decades, Seoul's agriculture ministry said, Kang Yoon-seung reported for Yonhap news agency.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs made the remark to refute Chinese media's claim that Beijing has won a certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for its kimchi making process.

The ministry said Beijing won ISO certification for pao cai, another type of pickled vegetable consumed in China, which "has nothing to do with kimchi."

"We need to understand that pao cai is different from kimchi," the ministry said, giving China a slap on the wrist for the misrepresentation.

Beijing has long been trying to imitate the manufacture of food products unique to other nations and luring in farmers to cultivate bananas, mangoes and other fruits to reduce its importations. By slapping strict phytosanitary requirements on agricultural products, Beijing wants to produce more fruits that are less tasty, delicious and nutritious as those produced in the Philippines and other Asian nations.