A Korean Recipe- Kiminchi

Making this recipe is simple but takes a long time. Prepare this dish several days before you need it.


MATERIALS:

1) 5 cups green or Chinese cabbage, sliced into bite size pieces


2) 6 teaspoons salt


3) 2 tablespoons sugar


4) 1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper


5) 1/4 teaspoon pealed and finely chopped gingerroot


6) 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced


7) 2 green onions, finely chopped





PROCEDURE:

1) In a large colander, mix cabbage with 5 teaspoons of the salt. Let stand for 3 hours


2) Rinse cabbage thoroughly. Rinse 2 or 3 more times and gently squeeze out excess liquid with your hands


3) Place the drained cabbage in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 1 or 2 days. Chill before serving. Makes bout 5 cups

ENJOY!!!

South Korea's History

South Korea wasn't always an independent country. In the year of 1948, South Korea became an independent country. The Korean War is what made these two countries. The 38th parallel divides North and South Korea.
South Korea has had many historical accomplishments. Here are 3;
1) South Korea became an independent country in 1948
2) The people rebelled and forced the government to have a new president in 1988
3) South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics in 1988
South Korea has historical accomplishments that connect to their belief system. One of these accomplishments is when South Korea made Confucianism the official religion in Korea in the Yi dynasty. Now, the constitution of South Korea has no official religion
3 significant facts on Korea are;
1) Chinese influenced control over Korean kingdoms and culture until the Yi dynasty from 1392.
2) The Korean alphabet was invented during the Yi dynasty
3) Japan invaded Korea and made it a colony from 1910
An interesting fact about South Korea is that they have the world's highest national IQ.
In the picture of the 1988 Summer Olympics, you see that the capital of South Korea is on the poster. This is because South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics during that year. This event opened it up to the world economics. South Korea has the 12th largest economy in the world.

South Korea's Culture

South Korea values their religion, holidays, festivals and the arts. As you see in the picture these are young girls from the 9-day mud festival held in Boryeong, South Korea. According to locals, "mud has special powers to refresh the skin and soothes the sou1."
South Korea varies in religions. The religious percentages are;
Protestant: 19.7%
Non-religious: 48.9%
Buddhist: 23.3%
Roman Catholic: 6.7%
Confucian: 0.4%

Almost half of the people in South Korea are known to be non-religious. Buddhism is South Korea's majority religion. Protestant is the second leading religion. Buddhism came to Korea from China, coming between the 4th and 7th centuries A.D. This religion was founded in India. Protestants came to Korea in the 1880s.
South Korea has a history link with western and eastern China and Japan. With this background South Korea has been left with a rich and varied cultural life, from ancient religious rites to modern pop music.

Bibliography

Our group give full credit to the books and websites as follows for information on Korea and photos of and about Korea which helped to make this blog reliable.

South Korea. Nations Encyclopedia. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com.economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Korea-South.html

South Korea. Anonymous. http://www.seoulkoreaasia.com/images/Maps/south-korea-map.jpg

Korea. New World Encyclopedia. http://www.newworldencyclopia.com

North Korea. World Atlas. http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/highlow.htm

North Korea. Anonymous. http://countrystudies.us/north-korea/21.htm

Farley,Carol. Korea Land of the Morning Calm. Minnesota:Dillon Press,1991.

Solberg,S.E.The Land and People of Korea. New York, HarperCollins Childrens Books,1991.

"North Korea". Lands and Peoples vol.2. 2001 ed.

South Korea's Geography

South Korea is an entire country the size of Indiana. At 38,023 sq. mi., South Korea has highly elevated land as it's neighbor North Korea but with a different climate. South Korea is more temperate with heavy monsoon-like rainfall in the summer and lighter rainfall in winter. South Korea's capital is Seoul at 37 degrees N, and 126 degrees E. Well known rivers in South Korea are the Han, and Nakton. Other popular mountain ranges in the mountainess east coast of South Korea are the T'aebaek and Subaek. It's highest point is Halla-san at 6,397 feet above sea level.

Korean Economy

North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)

The North Korean currency is won. One United States dollar is worth about 135 North Korean won. Their major imports are oil, grain, textiles, and machinery. Their major exports are minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (which includes armaments), textiles, and fishing products. Their landscape effects their economy in the way that they produce a lot of minerals and metals. North Korea has gone through a large shortage of food, due to severe flooding. The government allowed private farming and increased the range of products private markets could sell.

South Korea (Republic of Korea)

South Korea uses won also. One United States dollar is worth about 1.12 South Korean won. Their major exports are semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, ships, steel, and petrochemicals. Their major imports are machinery, electronics, electronic equipment, oil, transport equipment, steel, plastics and organic chemicals. Their landscape contains coal, lead, hydropower potential, graphite, tungsten and molybdenum, which effects their economy by allowing them to produce minerals, and if they tap into their hyrdopower potential, they could produce more electricity. The South Korean economy has an effect on their history because after the Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998, they started several economic reforms.

The Korean Government

North Korea (Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea)


At the end of World War II, we split Korea into two parts. The United States and the Soviet Union sent in help for each side. The Soviets sent help to the North, while the United States gave aid to the south. Because of this, each side copied the government of the nations helping it. North Korea had several communist groups forming, and eventually they formed one political party, the Korea Workers' Party, headed by Kim Il Sung.

Communism is a government that abolishes classes and the property is controlled by the community, or commonly. North Korea's government was Communist since the Soviet Union sent aid, and even when Kim Il Sung died, it remained so. The minor political parties are controlled by the KWP (Korean Workers' Party). Leaders of a Communist country are often referred to as dictators, which says something about the way they run their country. The North Korean government does not have a check and balance. Their government is repressive in the ways that they do not allow you to critisize the government and dictator. They have a huge lack of freedom of speach and association. There is no religious or press freedom. Should someone in a family in North Korea commit a crime, the family of the criminal is sent to a forced-labor camp, possibly for the rest of their lives.


South Korea (Republic of Korea)


When the United States sent aid to the South, they modeled their government after ours. They became a republic. Their first president was Syngman Rhee. The South Korean government has been a republic since we sent aid there, and has not changed. Republicanism is a form of government in which the people vote on the country's leader, and they have a say in the government. Leaders of a republic are normally called presidents. The United States is a republic also. Republics have a check and balance. The government is repressive in ways like ours. There is freedom of speach, press, and assembly but anyone who favors communism or the North Korean regime is punished.

North Korea's Culture

The contemporary culture of North Korea is based on traditional Korean culture. North Korea started to develop their own culture since their independence in 1948. Koreans were able to develop and maintain a unique culture. Doing this they also adopted and influenced neighboring cultures for nearly 3,000 years.
North Koreans value the arts like pottery. They also jave made important technical scientific advantages
North Korea varies in religion. The religion percentages are;
Non-religious: 67.9%
Traditional Beliefs: 15.6%
Ch'ongdogyo: 13.9%
Budhhist: 1.7%
Christianity: 0.9%

As you see the picture at the beginning of this post, this is a Buddhist temple in Korea. Buddhism and Confucianism are the 2 main religions in North Korea. All the religions are suppressed in North Korea. This means that the government doesn't allow religion to be practiced and they discourage it. Even though religion is suppressed, some Buddhist temples and shrines are kept open for their historic importance. Because of Kim's government especially persecuted Christians, many of them fled to South Korea to build new lives.
North Korea is a Communist government, so they discourage the practice of religion. Many North Koreans are believed to follow their faiths in secret. Shamanism is the oldest belief system on the Korean Peninsula. Buddhism and Concianism came to Korea later, arriving from China between the 4th and 7th centuries. Buddhism was found in India. Confucianism was found during the Chosun dynasty. Christianity 1st enteredKorea in the 1600s. A new faith called Ch'ongdogyo later came along. Some of these religions came from China. If citizens are caught practicing their faiths, they'll be severly punished.

Norh Korea's Geography

The country of North Korea is located on the continent of Asia. It is the smallest of the Asian countries. North Korea is roughly the size of Kentucky with a total of 46,541 sq. miles but is more mountainess and has a much different climate than the wildcat state. The eastern is hilly & abundant with mountains. These mountain ranges include the Nangim, Hamgyong, and Myonyang. It's highest point is Paektu-san at 9002 ft. above sea level. The lowest point is for both North and South Korea is the Sea of Japan at 0 ft. above sea level. Common rivers in North Korea are the Taedong, and the Yalu and Tuman which divide the Koreas from China. The cordinates of North Korea's capital city, Pyongyang are 39 degrees N and 125 degrees E. The extreme climate of North Korea ranges from short, humid summers with monsoons to long hard winters.

North Korea's History

North Korea wasn't always an independent country. In the year of 1945, North Korea became an independent country. The Korean War is what made these 2 countries independent. The 38th parallel divides North and South Korea.
North Korea has had many historical accomplishments. Here are 3;
1) North Korea developed the world's first movable metal type during the Goryeo Dynasty
2) Korea was freed from the Japanese after they lost World War 2 in 1945
3) The early Korean history is marked by the rule of 3 kingdoms;
Silla Kingdom, Goruryeo Kingdom and Baekje Kingdom
Korea has historical accomplishments that can connect to things such as their belief system. An example is when North Korea developed the first movable metal type. one of the uses for this was to make the Buddhist bible.
3 significant facts about Korea are;
1) Starting in the year 1910, the Japanese made Korea a colony
2) In the year 1945, Korea was freed from the Japanese
3) When the Korean War started in 1950, it lasted through 1953
Korea has many fun, interesting and unique facts that Americans don't really do in the United States. one of these things is that Kim 2-Sung has been dead for 16 years, but is still the "elected" "eternal" leader. One of his quotes was;

"It is wrong to try to avoid the struggle against
imperialism under the pretext that independence
and revolution are important, but that peace is
still more precious"

North Korea has many historical accomplishments that can connect to their culture,geography,economy,etc. An example of a historical accomplishment that connects to their culture is the making of the world's first movable metal type. Making this type led to making the Buddhist bible. The making of this bible led to more and more people to start to commit and practice this religion in that country.