November 22 has officially become Kimchi Day in the U.S. state of California.
The state's legislature passed a new resolution on Monday to celebrate the popular fermented side dish, which it states originates from Korea and "is an excellent source of probiotics, folate, beta-carotene, choline, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K."
The bill, led by Assemblyman Steven Choi, notes increasing demand across the United States for Korean food and kimchi, with increasing awareness of kimchi corresponding to "higher awareness of Korean culture, including K-pop, K-beauty, K-food, and K-drama."
The United States is home to the largest Korean diaspora in the world and California alone is home to 32 percent of the country's Korean population, according to the resolution.
South Korea celebrated its first Kimchi Day in 2020 in line with efforts to promote the consumption of the traditional dish normally made of fermented cabbage, salt and hot peppers.
Data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs showed kimchi exports reached 61.1 million dollars over the January-April period amid rising demand for healthier foods during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By destination, Japan was the biggest buyer importing 31 million dollars worth of kimchi over the cited period, followed by the U.S. with 11 million dollars and Europe with 5.5 million dollars.
