Paris’ 15th district declares Nov. 22 'Kimchi Day'

Paris’ 15th district has officially designated Nov. 22 as “Kimchi Day,” becoming the first local government in the European Union to do so.

Daesang said on Oct. 10 that the district held a ceremony, titled “2025 Korean Expo – Kimchi Day Declaration,” at the city hall plaza on Oct. 4. Key attendees included Philippe Goujon, mayor of the 15th district, and French Senator Agnès Evren.

Kimchi Day was first recognized in 2021 as an official day in California and has since been adopted by 13 U.S. states, London’s Kingston borough, and now Paris’ 15th district, the first in the European Union.

The designation followed a joint proposal by Daesang, SF Globalize, and the AMA Association to the district’s international cooperation body. The Paris 15th district council unanimously passed the resolution, officially declaring Nov. 22 as Kimchi Day each year. Following this, efforts are underway to establish Kimchi Day in Paris’ 7th and 16th districts, as well as in Issy-les-Moulineaux and Montpellier, starting next year.

A Daesang official said the company worked closely with the AMA Association, local authorities, and public institutions to promote kimchi’s excellence and cultural value as a traditional Korean fermented food. The official added that cultural exchange programs, including kimchi cooking contests and community kimjang events, were also organized.

The AMA Association is a French nonprofit that promotes Korean cuisine, while SF Globalize is an advertising and public relations firm.


이소정 sojee@donga.com