First lady promotes Korean food in special interview with CNN

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's First Lady Kim Yoon-ok promoted her
country's traditional cuisine, or "Hansik," in a special interview broadcast
worldwide on Monday by U.S. cable news network CNN.

The interview, recorded at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Friday, was
the first part of a special series by CNN, "Eye on South Korea."
During the interview, Kim was seen preparing the popular Korean dish "japchae,"
seasoned vermicelli often served with meat or seafood.
"The taste of Korean food comes from the effort that goes into it and the flavor
created by hand," Kim said. "We believe affection originates from mother's hands
when she's cooking."
The interview was Kim's first appearance on a foreign television network since
her husband Lee Myung-bak came into office early last year.
Kim said cooking for her husband and promoting Korean food as an international
cuisine was part of her efforts to assist the president, who "does a lot of work
outside the country."
Her work also includes sending food to countries suffering from shortages, as
well as introducing easy-to-make recipes, as a way of repaying the international
support her country received when it was poor, she said.
"That is why now I would like to help other countries," she said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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