South Koreans, Chinese clash on social media over Chinese-style Kimchi winning international certificate

FILE PHOTO: A plate with traditional Korean kimchi is seen on a table of a restaurant at Jungang market in Gangneung, South Korea February 19, 2018. Picture taken February 19, 2018. REUTERS/ Jorge Silva/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) - China's efforts to win an international certification for Pao Cai, a pickled vegetable dish from Sichuan, is turning into a social media showdown between Chinese and South Korean netizens over the origin of Kimchi, a staple Korean cuisine made of cabbage.

Beijing recently won a certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for Pao Cai, an achievement the state-run Global Times reported as "an international standard for the Kimchi industry led by China."