Park Su-hyun: "'250,000 Won Dinner' at Hangukui Jip, Increasing Ratio of Imported Ingredients... Improvement Needed"

All Mung Beans Are Imported... Broth Meat Also Imported
Assemblyman Park "Consider Using Local Agricultural and Marine Products"

Park Su-hyun, a member of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out on the 9th that the proportion of foreign ingredients used in the high-priced dishes sold at 'Hanguk-ui Jip,' a complex cultural space managed by the National Heritage Promotion Agency under the Cultural Heritage Administration, is high and needs improvement.

According to the 'Recent 5-Year Origin Status of Ingredients Used at Hanguk-ui Jip' data released by the National Heritage Promotion Agency on the same day, out of 310 ingredients used at Hanguk-ui Jip this year, 61 were foreign. About 20% of the ingredients used are foreign.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the data, in the case of mung bean sprouts, none were domestic, and all were foreign. Foreign ingredients were used in broths and other items except for main meat dishes. The imported meats used at Hanguk-ui Jip included U.S. pork belly, chuck flap tail, tenderloin, and sirloin, with origins varying from Australia and New Zealand.

Park said, "Korean restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide with similar price ranges promote that over 90% of their ingredients are domestic, but Hanguk-ui Jip is not able to do so." The price of a formal meal (banquet) at Hanguk-ui Jip is 250,000 KRW.

Park also suggested, "Please consider using excellent quality local representative agricultural, livestock, and marine products."