Korean president cooks reporters kimchi stew dinner: Detailed look into Yoon Suk Yeol’s kimchi jjigae recipe

President Yoon Suk Yeol invited some 200 journalists to a "kimchi stew" dinner Friday at the Yongsan presidential office compound in central Seoul.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, ladles kimchi stew for reporters during a rare dinner with the presidential press corps at a lawn at the Yongsan presidential office compound in central Seoul Friday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Keeping good on a two-year-old pledge, President Yoon Suk Yeol invited some 200 journalists to a "kimchi stew" dinner Friday at the Yongsan presidential office compound in central Seoul.

Kimchi jjigae, a spicy stew made from boiled ripened kimchi, is a regular staple for Korean families to eat at home alongside rice and other banchan (assorted side dishes). The heartwarming classic dish is a popular way to use up super ripe kimchi, and has as many variations as there are families. People oftentimes add pork, spam or canned tuna to the stew, and sometimes use special broths for extra depth in flavor.

"Ever since I took office, I promised to serve you the egg rolls and kimchi stew shown on a TV program, but two years have passed," Yoon told the presidential press corps in the lawn in front of his office. Prior to becoming president, Yoon showed off his cooking skills in an SBS variety show in September 2021.

The president not only provided the kimchi jjigae recipe for the evening, but personally took to the barbecue grill, dressed down without a tie and donning a white apron.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, rights, grills pork with his chief of staff, Chung Jin-suk, during a dinner with the press corps at a lawn at the Yongsan presidential office compound in central Seoul Friday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Yoon began the evening grilling pork and chicken skewers, while a huge pot of kimchi stew simmered away nearby.

But he truly impressed the crowd with his omelet-making skills. Proving he was no amateur, Yoon swiftly spread oil on a pan, poured thin layers of egg mixture and demonstrated adeptness at flipping omelets into shape.

Egg rolls, or gyeranmari, are popular side dishes similar to rolled omelets, often mixed with chopped vegetables or even layers of cheese.

As any omelet connoisseur knows, it is no easy feat rolling up thin golden sheets of eggs without scorching or tearing the layers, as were the plump omelets produced by the president.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, makes egg rolls during a dinner with the press corps at the Yongsan presidential office compound in central Seoul Friday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Yoon, who marked his second anniversary in office earlier this month, has been working on increasing communication with the press since the April 10 general election, which resulted in a victory for the rival Democratic Party.

As a president-elect in 2022, Yoon said he would like to have a kimchi jjigae dinner with reporters to demonstrate his desire to become a president who communicates closely with press.

However, he has often faced criticism since then for not keeping this pledge to become a more accessible president.

Yoon last had a luncheon with the presidential press corps on May 2, 2023, making a surprise appearance after the opening of a children's park adjacent to the Yongsan presidential office. He held a formal press conference on May 9 to mark two years in office, the first one in 21 months, in an apparent attempt to turn over a new leaf.

"Pension, labor, education, medical care and low birthrate are the five core issues," Yoon told reporters, addressing state affairs during Friday's dinner. "Low birthrate is a situation that needs to be improved at a revolutionary level" and "is the most fundamental issue that all issues are connected to," he said.

Yoon also said he plans to spend more time communicating with media.

"All leaders and politicians around the world may think how great it would be without the media, but we couldn't have gotten here without the press," Yoon said. "I promise to spend more time speaking with the press and listening to a lot of advice and criticism to run the government."

The two-hour buffet-style event was also attended by presidential aides, including chief of staff Chung Jin-suk, who took turns grilling Korean beef, sausages, pork belly and chicken skewers.

Ingredients were sourced from across the nation, including Andong beef, Wando abalone, Jangheung mushrooms, Muan onions, Gangwon potatoes, Jeju pork belly and Icheon and Dangjin rice.

The following is the step-by-step recipe of Yoon's kimchi jjigae shared by the presidential office.

In case anyone wonders why there aren't any proper measurements, Koreans like to say cooking is all about "gam," or instinct. But the president said the secret ingredient is the soy sauce.

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s kimchi stew recipe revealed by the presidential office during a dinner with the press corps on Friday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

━ President Yoon Suk Yeol's kimchi stew recipe

Ingredients Ripe napa cabbage kimchi, pork belly, onion, minced garlic, guk-ganjang (soup soy sauce), anchovy broth, cooking oil, pepper, salt

Preparation

1. Prepare aged kimchi and chop it into an appropriate size. 2. Thinly slice the pork belly. 3. Marinate the pork belly in soy sauce, minced garlic and pepper. 4. Prepare the onion by cutting it into thin strips. 5. Spread oil in a pot and cook the marinated pork. 6. When the pork is cooked, add kimchi and onions and sauté until soft. 7. Add the prepared anchovy broth and boil until the kimchi and meat are tender. 8. Season with soup soy sauce and salt.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]