South Korea hits out at China over use of traditional hanbok dresses at Olympics opening ceremony

South Korean politicians have accused China of laying claim to their nation’s culture after a performer at the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics wore a traditional Korean hanbok dress. The term “hanbok” literally means “Korean clothing”. The Chinese embassy in Seoul defended the appearance of hanbok at the February 4, 2022, ceremony by saying the costume belongs to ethnic Koreans everywhere, including in China. The controversy emerged amid recent Chinese claims about the origins of other Korean cultural items including kimchi. Most Koreans consider the fermented vegetable dish a staple, but in 2021 China won international recognition for a similar fermented vegetable dish, and state media called it “an international standard for the kimchi industry led by China”.