February 26 this year is Jongwoldaeborum, or folk holiday which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month by lunar calendar.
Since olden times, the Korean people have celebrated the day on a large scale as folk holiday next to the lunar New Year’s Day.
They have cooked and eaten such typical foods as ogokpap (a dish made with all five grains) and dishes made of nine kinds of dried greens.
Ogokpap is made of five kinds of grains, especially rice, millet, kaoliang, soybean and adzuki bean, and the grains differ according to localities.
The nine-dried-green dish is prepared with hot pepper leaf, bracken, osmund, goosefoot and others in Pyongyang, and platycodon, Codonopsis lanceolata, aster, brown seaweed and others in the area of Hamgyong province. They were called “black edible herbs” as the colour of dried edible greens is black.
Folk have said that such dishes on the day make people highly resistant to intense heat and diseases as well that year.
The custom of preparing and eating ogokpap and nine edible greens is associated with the love for their native land of the Korean people, who have created the way of dietary life of their own and developed food culture by using different food materials which are available in their localities.
It also contains the idea of the principle of taking care of their health that they can live in good health only when they have ogokpap and a variety of dried edibles evenly without having an unbalanced diet.
Such a custom is still carried on today to add national flavour.
More From Pyongyang Times
A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry rejected Japan’s interference in the country’s internal affairs at a press conference
November 18, 2025
A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry rejected Japan’s interference in the country’s internal affairs at a press conference
The reliable women footballers of the DPRK won the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup this year following last year, and lifted the
November 18, 2025
The reliable women footballers of the DPRK won the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup this year following last year, and lifted the
Chongdan County of South Hwanghae Province celebrated the birthday of the third centenarian this year. The respected Comrade Kim
November 18, 2025
Chongdan County of South Hwanghae Province celebrated the birthday of the third centenarian this year. The respected Comrade Kim
The 23rd Taekwon-Do World Championships were successfully held in Italy last October. The DPRK players topped the country
November 18, 2025
The 23rd Taekwon-Do World Championships were successfully held in Italy last October. The DPRK players topped the country
The people across the DPRK significantly marked Mother's Day. People visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the sacred temple of
November 18, 2025
The people across the DPRK significantly marked Mother's Day. People visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the sacred temple of
The Wonhwa Farm in Phyongwon County of South Phyongan Province harvested bumper crops this year in the fields with the honour of
November 18, 2025
The Wonhwa Farm in Phyongwon County of South Phyongan Province harvested bumper crops this year in the fields with the honour of
The implementation of the Regional Development 20×10 Policy of the Workers’ Party of Korea is being pushed ahead in different
November 18, 2025
The implementation of the Regional Development 20×10 Policy of the Workers’ Party of Korea is being pushed ahead in different
The Sunchon Cement Complex is ramping up its production. Thanks to the devoted efforts of its workers to unconditionally attain
November 18, 2025
The Sunchon Cement Complex is ramping up its production. Thanks to the devoted efforts of its workers to unconditionally attain
The construction of thousands of rural dwellings planned for this year has been successfully completed in Ryanggang Province. The
November 18, 2025
The construction of thousands of rural dwellings planned for this year has been successfully completed in Ryanggang Province. The
Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and his party left Pyongyang on November 15
November 17, 2025
Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and his party left Pyongyang on November 15
The delegation of the Russian news agency Segodnya led by First Deputy Editor-in-Chief Sergei Kochetkov left Pyongyang for home on
November 17, 2025
The delegation of the Russian news agency Segodnya led by First Deputy Editor-in-Chief Sergei Kochetkov left Pyongyang for home on
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the hostile policy of Europe in a recent interview with an Italian newspaper.
November 17, 2025
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the hostile policy of Europe in a recent interview with an Italian newspaper.
This year, many young people across the country volunteered to work at major fronts for implementing the decisions of the Workers'
November 17, 2025
This year, many young people across the country volunteered to work at major fronts for implementing the decisions of the Workers'
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a birthday spread to Ri Kyong Chan on his 90th birthday. The birthday spread reflects the
November 17, 2025
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a birthday spread to Ri Kyong Chan on his 90th birthday. The birthday spread reflects the
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry at a press conference on November 10 denounced the Japanese prime minister’s reckless
November 16, 2025
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry at a press conference on November 10 denounced the Japanese prime minister’s reckless
November 16 is the founding anniversary of UNESCO. A meeting of the preparatory committee for founding UNESCO took place in London
November 16, 2025
November 16 is the founding anniversary of UNESCO. A meeting of the preparatory committee for founding UNESCO took place in London
Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay
November 15, 2025
Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay
Pak Thae Song, premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, met Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister
November 15, 2025
Pak Thae Song, premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, met Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister
Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was presented with the credentials of
November 15, 2025
Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was presented with the credentials of
The DPRK team set several new records in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup held in Morocco. It won every match in the event and
November 15, 2025
The DPRK team set several new records in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup held in Morocco. It won every match in the event and
More Articles
