The Belgian Embassy in Seoul released on Feb. 9 images of its ambassador and staff making kimchi with a kimchi kit that it received from the Korean Culture and Information Service. (Screen captured from embassy's Facebook page)

By Lee Jihae

The Washington Times on Feb. 21 said Korea is "taking its kimchi war with China" to "new level."

The U.S. daily said Korea is "enlisting a slew of foreign diplomats in Seoul to attest to the fact that the Koreans' national dish is, in fact, Korean."

The report added that China's state-run media in December last year claimed a "victory of sorts" when the International Standard Organization selected paocai, "a Chinese first cousin of kimchi," as the benchmark for all fermented vegetable dishes including kimchi.

The Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), an affiliate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, "has now struck back." The Times said.

Ahead of Seollal (Lunar New Year), KOCIS asked 58 embassies that it had partnerships with if they would like to receive kimchi kits. Eighteen of them accepted, including those of the U.S., Kuwait, Denmark, Hungary and Belgium.

Each kit had one salted cabbage and various seasonings, and users could easily make kimchi simply by smearing the seasonings on the cabbage.

The Times said KOCIS asked the ambassadors to take photos or videos of themselves making kimchi and post them.

It said that "at least three — Hungary, Denmark and Belgium — have posted videos online of their efforts to make the dish."

Hungarian Ambassador Mozes Csoma on Feb. 9 sent a seven-minute clip of himself, his Korean wife and their three sons making kimchi.

Danish Ambassador Einar Hebogard Jensen on Feb. 4 posted photos and a video of himself making kimchi. Citing the paste's strong taste, he said, "So I have to be careful not to get it in my eyes.”

He said the kimchi looked great and looked forward to tasting it after letting it sit for a week.

The Belgian Embassy in Seoul on Feb. 10 posted on its Facebook page images of its staff making kimchi, saying, "It was a great way to have a small teambuilding and let our newest staff members discover the tradition of Korean kimchi making."

jihlee08@korea.kr