UNESCO recognizes two Joseon-era cookbooks from South Korea

UNESCO inscribed two historic cookbooks from the Joseon Dynasty era onto the Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register.

The two books, Suunjapbang and Eumsikdimibang, offer a record of the culinary heritage of the Andong region in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. This move brings the total number of Korean entries on the regional register to eight. The Suunjapbang book documents the food culture of aristocratic households.

A Confucian scholar named Kim Yu first wrote it in the 16th century, and his grandson Ryeong added to the collection in the 17th century. Lady Jang, the wife of scholar Lee Si-myeong, compiled the Eumsikdimibang around 1670. This book contains 146 recipes that describe different dishes and methods for making alcoholic beverages. Both books are recognized for their historical and cultural importance in preserving traditional Korean cooking methods.