Michelin to Release Food Guide for Korea

The Michelin Guide will release a handbook for exceptional restaurants in Korea for the first time, a move that is expected to help promote Korean cuisine abroad.

The Korea Tourism Organization said yesterday that it has agreed with Michelin Korea to release a guide for Korea. The tourism agency has pursued the project in the belief that a Michelin Guide for Korea will greatly help globalize Korean food.

The France-based tire manufacturer Michelin Group has released the guide for drivers since 1900.

The guide has a “green guide” section for tourist spots and a “red guide” for exemplary restaurants. Michelin is considering translating into Korean the green guide of its handbook released in other nations first, and then publish green and red guides on Korea later.

The Michelin Guide rates restaurants on a scale of one to three stars. The guide is so respected worldwide that the number of a city’s three-star restaurants is considered a key factor in determining the tourism competitiveness of the city.

tesomiom@donga.com