"Lack of Confidence in Korea... Paranoia" 14 Million YouTuber Followed by Chinese UN Ambassador on 'Kimchi Gongjeong'

YouTuber with 14 Million Subscribers in China Posts Kimchi-Making Video
UN Chinese Ambassador Also Shares Kimchi-Making Scene, Sparking Controversy

A famous Chinese YouTuber uploaded a video of making kimchi and introduced it as "Chinese food," causing controversy. [Image source = Screenshot from YouTube channel '李子柒 Liziqi']

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Su-wan] Amid China's blatant efforts to incorporate kimchi, a traditional Korean food, into its own culture through the so-called "Kimchi Project" (工程), a direct agency of the Chinese Communist Party has sparked controversy by posting a disparaging article about Korea, calling it a "delusional victim mentality stemming from Korea's lack of cultural confidence."

On the 13th, the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission (CPLAC) of the Chinese Communist Party posted on its official WeChat account an article titled "Li Ziqi's Kimchi Making Faces Backlash from Korean Netizens: China, the Originator, Must Fight," claiming, "Kimchi is Korean, dried persimmons are Korean, and even the Dano Festival is Korean," and argued that "constantly nitpicking is due to anxiety caused by self-distrust." The CPLAC is the authority overseeing public security and judicial organs in China.

The CPLAC referred to Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who on the 1st of last month responded to questions about the Korea-China kimchi origin dispute by asking, "Was there such a dispute?" and said, "The spokesperson's calm answer is possible because of confidence." It emphasized, "The reason we can laugh off such absurd claims is precisely because of genuine cultural confidence and strength."

It added, "Kimchi is but a single stroke, like 'one hair from nine oxen' (구우일모, meaning something insignificant), in China's 5,000-year history," and stated, "While protecting our cultural heritage, we must also focus more on safeguarding the creative and innovative spirit of the Chinese nation."

The CPLAC further said, "The world today is undergoing great changes in a century, and China faces profound and complex changes in both domestic and international environments. We must strengthen innovation as the primary driving force more than ever before," and "Like countless ancestors, we must create something from nothing and overcome obstacles such as unilateralism and protectionism in fierce international competition to seize future opportunities."

Finally, the CPLAC concluded, "Rather than the 'kimchi origin country,' this (creation and innovation) is the 'number one' we must strive for," and added, "Instead of being self-absorbed in our glorious history, we must realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through creative innovation."

Ambassador Jang Jun stated on his Twitter account on the 3rd, "Winter life can be diverse and enjoyable," adding, "One way to experience this is by eating homemade kimchi."
Photo by Ambassador Jang Jun Twitter capture

Meanwhile, China has recently stirred controversy surrounding kimchi. Previously, the nationalist-leaning Chinese state media Global Times reported in November last year that paocai, a pickled vegetable dish from Sichuan, received certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), claiming that Korea, the 'kimchi origin country,' was humiliated.

On the 9th, Chinese YouTuber Li Ziqi, who has 14 million subscribers, posted a video showing the process of making kimchi, introducing it as "Chinese food," which sparked controversy. Notably, the YouTuber tagged the video with hashtags such as #ChineseCuisine and #ChineseFood.

Additionally, it was recently revealed that Zhang Jun, China's ambassador to the United Nations, posted a photo promoting kimchi on Twitter. The photo showed Ambassador Zhang wearing an apron and cooking gloves, posing while holding freshly made kimchi.