A feature of present fomula of dietary habitus is the result of its traditional succession, as like as the newly established culture is rooted in the inherited traditional culture. So, it is very important to discriminate the kind of korean traditional foods and to discuss the historical background of the foods in use, since they have to develope better dietary conditions in furture by using modern theory of dietetics. But there are few literatures concerning to korean traditional foods clear at a glance. However, some traditional foods including technology of cultivation and processing have been transmitted from generation to generation in some districts. Therefore, author has attempted to investigate the history of traditional foods. The results obtained were as follows. 1. A lots of traditional foods which were gifts to imperial court alloted to districts or civilian foods during Choson dynasty have been transmitted up to date, and the method of cultivation and processing are well preserved. Among them out standing examples are: 1) persimmon and its processed goods. 2) red pepper and malted pepper catchup. 3) ginger and its processed goods. 4) honey, bean sprouts etc. 2. It has been reported that ginger was cultivated in China in 5th century B.C. and in Korea early in 16th century. But historical relationships between them could not be confirmed. However, from SAMKUKSAGI and the report by Lee, Suk Woo(1754-1825) who was governor of Chonla province and remarked ginger as a sacred herb at Wanju county, Bongong town, it is suggested that ginger is a natural growing herb in Korea. 3. Soonchang malted pepper catchup is one of outstanding traditional foods which our ancestor have processed with red pepper. Peru is the place of origin, where they have cultivated pepper from 1st century. It is conceivable that pepper was transmitted from Europe to korea late in 16th century, and the first report on existence of pepper in korea was written in 1613. Therefore, it seems that malted red pepper catchup was processed 30 or 40 years later.

• 황호관 | Hwang, Ho-Gwan