[Opinions] Offerings to the King

Sweet potatoes from Mt. Sokri in Boeun, North Chungcheong Province, known for its sweetness and crispiness, are gaining popularity. The sweet potatoes raised out of yellow soil on mountainous area 200m above the sea level was first introduced to the public after the news that they became one of former President Kim`s favorites, who first tasted the sweet potatoes during his stay at presidential summerhouse Chongnamdae. According to 25 faming houses raising Boeun sweet potatoes, local governments were rushing to give sweet potato presents to the former president and Chong Wae Dae also often bought them. Boeun sweet potatoes, then, must be the present version of offerings to the king.

This country had a tradition of providing kings with local produces when holiday time came. At first, local government heads started the custom as a way of paying tribute to their king. Then it became like local taxes. Offerings for the king were indeed classified into a variety of kinds. Local heads first offered products once a month, but later competition heated up. Living near the capital city, local officials in Gyeonggi Province had to offer presents almost every day. There were delivery accidents, too. The tradition has persisted in North Korea, where there are still such offerings for the top leader as ginseng, bears` bile and roebucks` belly buttons.

Local governments are now promoting produces that were once offered up to the king as local specialties. To name few, there are rice from Yeoju, Incheon and Kimpo, Korean parsley from Gongju, fine ramie cloth from Hansan, beef from Jeju, king crabs from Youngdeok, pickled oysters from Ganwol-do, seaweed from Wuljin, hot pepper sauce from Sunchang, clams from Byeonsan, watermelons from Mt. Mudeung and pears from Naju. Some are still being raised and some others are all but gone. Come to think about it, it is ironic that kings in Chosun Dynasty lived only 44 years on average after eating all the good food.

At the center of a corruption case involving presidential secretary Yang Gil-seung were chrysanthemum pillows a businessman offered as presents for the first family. The pillows are in fact local produces from Cheongju City, North Chungcheong Province. Still, sweet potatoes and pillows carry some warm and cordial feelings, given former presidents and their families who received box-full money. It is said that sales of chrysanthemum pillows increased 20 times after the scandal broke out. If President Roh and his government won more support from the general public, sales would have soared.

Oh Myung-cheol, Editorial Writer, oscar@donga.com