Siraegi harvest begins with Punch Bowl Siraegi Festival in Yanggu

[Anchor]

As we fully embrace autumn, next week will mark the beginning of winter with the arrival of 'Ipdong.'

In Yanggu, Gangwon Province, the harvest of "siraegi," a winter delicacy, has begun, and preparations for winter are in full swing.

Lee Cheong-cho reports.

[Report]

In the northernmost village adjacent to the Demilitarized Zone.

The mountain ridges at an altitude of 1,000 meters are beautifully adorned with autumn leaves, but the vast fields remain lush and green.

This is "mucheong," or radish greens.

Hands are busy cutting the mucheong, and on one side of the field, the cut mucheong is neatly stacked.

The mucheong will freeze and thaw throughout the winter, transforming into siraegi, which will be shipped to the market early next year.

This year, it is expected that around 1,000 tons of siraegi will be produced by over 200 farming households in this village.

Due to the warm weather, the harvesting has been delayed by three weeks compared to last year, but with the start of the mucheong harvest, the arrival of winter feels imminent.

[Yoon Hyun-hee/Siraegi farmer: "This mucheong is grown in a very clean area. While some mucheong is sold fresh, we are currently harvesting it for drying."]

Last year's harvest of well-dried siraegi is already being sold as a product.

Since the preparation is already complete, it can be eaten right after boiling.

A festival themed around siraegi and apples, local specialties of Yanggu, was also held.

Visitors can make kimbap with siraegi and taste siraegi rice cakes and siraegi kimchi.

[Oh Se-bun/Yanggu resident: "I bought some siraegi. Yanggu apples are renowned nationwide for their delicious taste, so I came to buy some of them and see the tasting event."]

The Yanggu Punch Bowl Siraegi Festival, amid the lingering aroma of apples, will continue until the 3rd.

This is KBS News, Lee Cheong-cho.