President Kim Il Sung told with relish the origin of kimchi and how it was spread over the world and asked an official whether he had ever tasted chonggak kimchi.

As the official heard about chonggak kimchi for the first time, far from taking it, he could not answer his question. Fathoming his mind, the President urged him to make and have it.

The President said to the following effect: Chonggak kimchi originated in the northern areas centering on Pyongyang. It was called chonggak kimchi as it was made with young radishes. It is made by the method of salting radishes with leaves, seasoning them with various spices and pouring a little amount of soup over them. It can be said that chonggak kimchi is an original one along with tongchimi (watery radish kimchi).

Radish, he went on, could not grow fully in the northern areas because of cold climate in old times. People picked it up and pickled it for kimchi. It was so delicious that it was spread to the whole country. It is good to eat buckwheat noodle and other noodles with its soup.

Listening to him, the officials were surprised to know that he had richer knowledge on the long dietary tradition of the nation than experts had.