Maryland proclaims November 22 Kimchi Day to ‘celebrate Korean culture’

It’s officially Kimchi Day in Maryland, which celebrates the spicy Korean dish made from fermented vegetables.

The traditional dish consists of fermented cabbage and gochugaru red chili peppers, but other versions may swap out the cabbage for cucumbers.

The date of the celebration represents the 11 main ingredients included in the dish as well as the 22 health benefits it provides, NextShark previously reported.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said in a statement that he “proclaimed November 22 as Kimchi Day to recognize the importance of this popular Korean dish, and to further celebrate Korean culture in Maryland.”

Hogan stated in the proclamation that Maryland is honored to join states throughout the country, South Korea and the Korean American community in promoting Korean culture and cuisine.

According to the Korean Herald, the governor has previously called himself a “hanguk sawi,” meaning “son-in-law of South Korea” in Korean. Yumi Hogan, his wife, was born in South Korea and became a U.S. citizen in 1994.

Virginia, California and New York state have also established Kimchi Days. A Kimchi Day celebration will also be held on Capitol Hill at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. on Dec. 6, according to the Museum of Koran American Heritage.

Featured Image via Governor Larry Hogan

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