culture

There are five registration certificates of intangible cultural heritage elements in the family of Kim Won Bom and Hwang Kyong Suk, an old couple living in Phyongchon District of Pyongyang.

The certificates were awarded to them for unearthing the distilling techniques of Korean traditional liquors with painstaking efforts.

More than 20 years ago, Kim Won Bom happened to see data on the famous traditional liquor of a country.

At the time he came to think of the fact that the Korean ancestors had also developed excellent and unique distilling techniques for a long time.

He began to study the old records related to the traditional liquors and in the course of it came to know that the ancestors had made unique medicinal liquors by combining various Koryo medicinal materials and used them to promote health.

He took a close interest in it and made up his mind to glorify the time-honoured national cultural heritage by unearthing the distilling techniques that remain only in the old records. He buckled down to the work after he became a pensioner.

His wife Hwang Kyong Suk was a great help to him.

On the basis of their study of the information recorded in the old books for years, the old couple analyzed the water following the streams flowing in the rugged mountain valleys to find the water needed for making traditional liquors and visited every nook and cranny of the country to find the old containers suitable for maturing traditional liquor.

They had no knowledge and experience of the food industry and were faced with lots of difficulties.

But the old couple never wavered in their decision as they believed that the work they had started was a good job to pass on to younger generations and glorify the wisdom and talents of the ancestors.

Their untiring efforts bore valuable results.

Korean traditional liquors including Tangun liquor, Kamhongro, Riganggo were reborn.

The relevant unit scientifically confirmed that the traditional liquors made by them are unique in taste and aroma and medicinal ingredients are harmoniously combined.

These traditional liquors are very popular with not only local people but also overseas compatriots and foreigners.

Without resting on their laurels, they continue to put their heart and soul into the study of the secrets of distilling traditional liquors, full of youthful vigour and with a single mind to bring honour to the Korean culture.