KOREAN NET

The UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage on Dec. 3 decides to designate Korea's culture of making jang, or sauces and pastes made from fermented soybeans, as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the committee's meeting in Asuncion, Paraguay. (UNESCO's official Flickr account)

By Margareth Theresia

UNESCO has included Korea's traditional culture of making jang, or sauces and pastes made from fermented soybeans, on its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage made the decision on Dec. 3 at its meeting in Asuncion, Paraguay.

This is the country’s second entry of traditional cuisine on the list after kimjang, or the culture of making and sharing kimchi. The designation reflects UNESCO's high recognition of the time-honored tradition and unique skills of making jang, as well as the family and communal spirit formed in the process.

A woman tends to sauces stored in jangdokdae (traditional earthen pots) in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do Province. (Korea.net DB)

Jang-making culture covers the knowledge, beliefs and practices needed for making jang, the basic seasoning of Hansik (traditional food).

The committee's evaluation body on Nov. 5 had reviewed and recommended the inscription, highlighting the social and cultural value of jang, which has long been part of daily life in Korea, as intangible cultural heritage.

The country now has 23 items on the prestigious list including Jongmyo Jeryeak, or music for royal ancestral rituals played at the Jongmyo Shrine, and pansori (solo lyrical opera).

The Korea Heritage Service said, "By adding the people's love for and interest in traditional Korean cuisine, we will do our best to ensure that Korea's jang-making culture is passed down and developed into intangible cultural heritage recognized and widely enjoyed around the world."

margareth@korea.kr