[News Today] DRIED RADISH GREENS FROM YANGGU

[LEAD]
From Haean in Yanggu-gun County, Gangwondo-Province, which is Korea's northernmost area, there's a local delicacy called 'siraegi', or dried radish leaves. Let's go check how they're being ready before they get to our dinner tables.

[REPORT]
A mountainous village right next to the military demarcation line. Temperatures here stay below minus 10 degrees Celsius even during the day.

Radish greens are drying on wooden frames in a shade. Lush, green leaves gradually turn crispy.

Yoon Hyun-hee / Yanggu-gun resident
They are very nutritious thanks to the wide gap between morning and daytime temperatures.

Because of a wide gap between morning and daytime temperatures and strong winds, Haean-myeon in Yanggu, Gangwon-do Province, has ideal conditions for drying radish leaves.

In about two months, the dried radish greens will be ready for distribution.

Yanggu-gun County is the largest producer of dried radish leaves in Korea.

Various dishes made with them have been developed, including dumplings and spicy stir-fried chicken. They are sold as ready-to-eat products, because trimming dried radish greens is not easy at home.

Yanggu-gun produces 78 tons of processed foods made with dried radish leaves. Last year it began exporting them to the U.S and Taiwan.

Lee Sang-bong / Yanggu Punchbowl Siraegi Rural Convergence Team
Processing locally produced crops into commercial merchandise helps our residents increase their revenues.

Yanggu-gun County plans to develop diverse food products with dried radish greens and publicize its products overseas on social media.