Maryland Korean‌ Association Holds Meeting to Discuss Kimchi Regulations

The Maryland Korean⁣ Association, ‌led⁢ by President Soo-Hwa Ahn,⁤ held its second meeting on the Howard⁣ County Health Department’s regulations and inspections of Korean restaurants related to kimchi at the Korean Community⁢ Center in Columbia.

This meeting was an ⁣extension of the first joint response meeting held on the 19th of⁢ last month, and the Maryland ⁣Korean Association, the⁣ Maryland Association of Food and Alcoholic Beverages (KAGRO, Chairman⁣ Mario Chang), ​the Howard County Korean Senior Center (Chairman Yongnam Kim), and the Maryland Civic Association (Chairman ‍Youngran Chang) formed a task force to gather the positions of Korean restaurants and the Korean ‌community and explore ways to cooperate with the Department‌ of Health.

The participants agreed ‍to clearly understand the ​regulatory standards related to kimchi hygiene inspection and to support Korean restaurants ⁣to respond to these regulations effectively. To this​ end, they discussed a plan to systematically organize data on the number of Korean restaurants in‍ the county, the number of businesses that complained, and complaints.

In particular, the ⁣participants shared‍ their opinion that they should hold a seminar to strengthen communication with the Ministry of ⁤Health. This seminar is ⁣to provide an opportunity to directly explain the Ministry⁢ of Health’s regulatory ⁤standards‌ and procedures to ⁢Korean restaurant operators and increase their understanding of the regulations.

On the other hand, the attendees ​shared that some Korean restaurant owners ⁣were cautious about making ⁤a ⁣big issue out of the kimchi issue and did ⁢not want their​ specific business names to be disclosed. They said that they emphasized that they should share their grievances and find solutions, but ‍that⁤ they should be cautious in public discussions.

Participants emphasized the importance of ​strengthening ⁤cooperation rather than confrontation between the Korean community and the health​ department, and systematic response ⁣to ⁣hygiene issues in Korean ‌restaurants. They​ agreed ⁢to continue making practical efforts to solve problems through smooth communication and cooperation between Korean​ restaurants and the health department.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and‍ only Son, that whoever believes ​in him should ‍not⁤ perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
For God so ‌loved the world that ⁣he gave ​his one ‌and only ​Son, ⁣that whoever believes ⁤in ‍him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)