HA NOI (VNS) — The culinary arts of South Korea and Viet Nam were honoured here on Friday as part of the 2014 Ha Noi Traditional Craft Village Festival.

The event aims to promote a cultural exchange between the two countries and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the capital city's Liberation Day.

According to event organisers, the exchange is also an occasion for the two countries to seek opportunities for economic co-operation.

At the event, South Korean experts introduced to the participants kimchi, South Korea's national dish, a traditional side dish consisting of fermented vegetables with a variety of seasonings.

For their part, Vietnamese experts introduced typical and famous Hanoian dishes, including pho (rice noodles), bun cha (grilled pork served with fresh noodles) and cha ca La Vong (grilled fish), all of which the Asian Record Organisation have recognised.

Mai Tien Dung, deputy director of the city department of culture, sports and tourism, pointed out the similarities in culture and culinary tastes of the two nations.

"While many Koreans have a special fondness for Vietnamese cuisine and find the food in Ha Noi particularly pleasing and tasteful, kimchi has also become very popular in Viet Nam," he said.

In 2013, kimjang, South Korea's tradition of making and sharing kimchi that usually takes place in winter, was added to the list of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The listing has allowed South Korea to preserve the annual household tradition and the community spirit that goes with it, as well as promote kimchi on a global scale.

Park Wan-soo, director of the World Institute of Kimchi, said his organisation would consider co-operation with Viet Nam in making and exporting kimchi to other countries.

Over the last few years, South Korea has imported a variety of vegetables from Viet Nam which are important ingredients for kimchi, including chili, garlic, ginger and cabbage.

Viet Nam is home to several kimchi shops run by South Korean businessmen. The kimchi in these shops, made with ingredients from Viet Nam, are exported to various countries in Southeast Asia. — VNS