South Korea’s highly regarded kimchi, a traditional dish of paramount cultural significance, faces severe challenges due to climate change. Scientists, agriculturalists, and industry experts are alarmed as the quality and quantity of napa cabbage—the essential ingredient in kimchi—deteriorate under rising temperatures. Napa cabbage thrives in cooler climates and was traditionally cultivated in mountainous regions where summer temperatures seldom exceeded 25°C. Current climate models, however, indicate that these optimal growing conditions are becoming increasingly rare, threatening the viability of napa cabbage cultivation in South Korea.

Plant pathologist and virologist Lee Young-gyu expressed concern over the worsening conditions, highlighting that napa cabbage flourishes within a narrow temperature range of 18 to 21°C. The adverse effects of higher temperatures are already palpable among farmers and kimchi producers. Although alternatives such as radish, cucumber, and green onion are used to make kimchi, cabbage-based kimchi remains the most popular. Lee Ha-yeon, a Kimchi Master certified by the Agriculture Ministry, noted that elevated temperatures lead to the degradation of cabbage quality, with the central part of the cabbage deteriorating and the roots becoming mushy. The Rural Development Administration projects a dramatic reduction in cultivated highland cabbage acreage from 3,995 hectares to a mere 44 hectares within 25 years. Additionally, an increase in kimchi imports, primarily from China, further compounds the challenges. The South Korean government is investing in climate-controlled storage and developing resilient crop varieties to mitigate these impacts.