Terra Madre Korea

Carlo Petrini was invited to attend Terra Madre Korea that took place from September 10 to 12, and was hosted by the Slow Food Paldang convivium, Nam Yang Ju City and Hansalim – one of the largest and more established producer and consumer co-operatives in Korea.

Over 50 good, clean and fair producers of traditional Korean foods joined together during the event to participate in taste workshops, presentations from farmers, chefs and sustainable food co-operatives and enjoy traditional Korean cultural performances.

Korean producers showcased their products, children and adults learnt how to make fresh tofu, a staple food in the Korean diet made from the soya bean, as well as Kimchi, a condiment made of cabbage, anchovies and chilli integral to Korean meals.

Korean cuisine is known for its medicinal properties. According to Korean culture, all foods are eaten with a knowledge of their medicinal value: raw garlic for good blood circulation, ginseng tea for headaches, sore throats and coughs, and Sickhae or Dansul – the cold rice desert that is drunk to assist digestion.

However, there is a growing threat to the sustainability of Korean food production, with a large proportion of food being imported from its neighboring countries, leading to Korean growers’ inability to sell locally grown foods. The large percentage of imported foods that are not labeled as to where and how the food has been grown or whether the foods are GMO free, disempowering local people from being able to choose good, clean and fair food.

Carlo, in his presentations at the University of Korea and at the Terra Madre Korea conference referred to these concerns of unlabeled imported foods, and also to the speed at which change is taking place, with much work required to ensure that Korea is able to maintain and supply good, clean and fair local food to its population.

With Terra Madre Korea, Slow Food in Korea in partnership with Nam Yang Ju City and Hansalim are aiming to raise the awareness of the locally grown foods and safeguard the Korean culture to bring a brighter and healthier future to local communities.

Elena Aniere
Slow Food Area Coordinator for Asia
[email protected]