‘Jang-making’ likely to get UNESCO recognition

The traditional Korean ways of making fermented pastes and sauces, or “jang,” are all but certain to make UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, the Korea Heritage Service said Tuesday, citing a decision the same day by the UN culture and heritage body to recommend the practice for inscription.

The final decision by the 12-member Evaluation Body of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will be reviewed by the 24-country Intergovernmental Committee at its 19th session in Asuncion, Paraguay, to be held Dec. 2-7.

The Evaluation Body has officially asked that the committee add “knowledge, beliefs, and practices related to jang-making in South Korea” to the UNESCO list.

“The chance of getting the committee approval is 99 percent,” a Korea Heritage Service official told The Korea Herald, noting Korea has not seen its previous 22 nominations face setbacks at a committee meeting.

Jang-making, the latest entry from Korea to be included on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage, is believed to have been practiced on the Korean Peninsula since as early as the Three Kingdoms era from 57 BCE to 668 CE, before the Silla Kingdom unified the peninsula.

Jang traditions continued through the Joseon era (1392-1910). Joseon officials who handled the storage of jang ranked higher than their peers in charge of the royal kitchen, attesting to jang’s importance.

What sets jang apart from similar condiments in China and Japan is the fact soybeans, the central ingredient, are fermented. These dried fermented soybeans, called “meju,” serve as the basis of varieties of jang, such as doenjang (soybean paste), ganjang (soy sauce) and gochujang (chile paste).

In the decision Thursday, the Evaluation Body acknowledged that the jang-making culture characterizes the Korean culinary tradition, in addition to the usual staples of rice and kimchi. Households maintain their own taste and methods for jang-making, reflecting unique family histories and traditions.

The Evaluation Body said it expected to see a spike in demand for soybeans once UNESCO officially recognizes jang-making.

This, in turn, would help advance food security and a more sustainable agricultural industry, the body noted. It added that jang-making is a collective action that solidifies peace and bonds communities.

The Korea Heritage Service said preparations are underway to add traditional knowledge and skills associated with the production of “hanji” in Korea to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Hanji, or traditional Korean mulberry paper, is widely used, “from eco-friendly building materials to household products and artistic activities,” according to the agency.

The agency, which submitted the application for hanji’s listing in March, said it expected to see a decision by December 2026.

Currently, “talchum” or a mask performing art that encompasses dance, music and theater, and “pansori,” another performing art that highlights the vocal art of narrative singing, were recognized on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2022 and 2003, respectively.