Take a look at this story translated from Korean.
According to locals who spoke to Radio Free Asia, North Korea has prohibited the sale of two culturally significant South Korean dishes in its restaurants.
This move is just another example of North Korea’s attempt to curb the influence of South Korean culture, which they perceive as corrupting and capitalist, within their isolated communist society.
The two South Korean dishes in question are budae-jjigae, a spicy stew often containing instant ramen noodles, hot dogs, and whatever else is available, and tteokbokki, a dish of steamed rice cakes smothered in a spicy sauce. These dishes have been a staple in South Korean cuisine for many years.
It wasn’t until 2017 that these dishes made their way to North Korea, introduced by restaurateurs linked to a department store managed in partnership with Chinese enterprises, according to the locals.
They also mentioned that another South Korean cuisine, samgyeopsal (barbecued pork belly slices), which has gained popularity in the North, has not yet been included in the ban.
Over the years, South Korean culture, including entertainment, fashion, language, humor, and even dance have permeated North Korean society. Despite restrictions, South Korean media content is smuggled in via thumb drives and watched extensively in secret.
In 2020, North Korea enacted the Rejection of Reactionary Thought and Culture Act to prevent the spread of such influences. Now, it seems they are targeting South Korean foods.
“Since the 15th, sales of tteokbokki and budae-jjigae at the marketplace have ceased,” a merchant from the northern province of Ryanggang shared with RFA Korean, choosing to remain anonymous for safety reasons.
She confirmed that authorities have threatened to shut down any store found secretly selling these dishes and that investigations are underway for restaurant managers who have sold these dishes. Measures have also been put in place to prevent their sale at a local department store food court.
This crackdown is not only limited to Ryanggang Province but extends to restaurant chains and food stalls across the country, including Pyongyang, she added.
The ban and its impact extend beyond the restaurants to the government-run eateries, as these South Korean style foods have become popular there, an intellectual from the same province told RFA, choosing to remain anonymous for security reasons.
Business owners and residents have voiced considerable opposition to the crackdown, arguing that the ban is nonsensical given that American and Western food items like burgers and sandwiches are not targeted.
“Vendors and residents argue that tteokbokki and budae-jjigae are not solely South Korean food, but are also enjoyed by ethnic Koreans in Yanbian,” he said, referring to the Korean Autonomous prefecture in China, home to an estimated 620,000 residents of Korean descent.
“Residents argue that there is no ideology in food, but the authorities are only punishing powerless vendors for no reason,” he added.
Translated by Leejin J. Chung. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.
