Korean food is garnering positive responses at the United Nations office cafeteria in Bangkok, Thailand. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
BANGKOK, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Korean food is garnering positive responses at the United Nations office cafeteria in Bangkok, Thailand, marking the first time Korean cuisine has been featured in a cafeteria of a major international organization.
Since September of last year, the cafeteria at the UN Conference Center (UNCC) in Bangkok has been offering Korean dishes like bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, dakgangjeong (sweet crispy chicken), and kimbap.
Established in 1993, the UNCC serves as a conference venue for the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), a regional body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The UNCC also hosts regional offices of various international organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Approximately 2,000 employees work at these agencies, including around 50 Koreans.
Previously, the UNCC cafeteria offered Western, vegetarian, and halal sections, but it also has a Korean section now. According to the Korean Embassy in Thailand, this is the first time a permanent Korean food corner has been set up in the cafeteria of a major international organization, including the UN headquarters in New York.
The Korean corner at the UNCC is managed by “The Bibimbap,” a franchise business specializing in Korean cuisine in Thailand. Founded in 2011 by Jeon Chang-kwan, a former expatriate of a major Korean corporation in Thailand, the company operates 14 outlets in the country and supplies kimchi and other side dishes to local supermarkets.
“Thanks to the global popularity of K-food, including the craze for kimbap, the response from international organization staff and visiting delegates from various countries has been very positive,” Jeon noted.
On January 17, Park Yong-min, the Korean Ambassador to Thailand, visited the UNCC and met with ESCAP Secretary-General Armida Alisjahbana. After their meeting, Park tried bibimbap at the cafeteria and commented, “This is not just about introducing Korean food to an international organization for the first time; it’s also a great opportunity to showcase Korean cuisine to delegations from various countries. The globalization of Korean food is a result of combined efforts in K-culture and other sectors.”
Thailand is considered a hub of the Korean Wave in Southeast Asia, and alongside the popularity of K-pop and K-dramas, Korean cuisine, known as K-food, is also gaining significant popularity.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
