Anchor: As the winter approaches, Koreans are beginning to prepare and preserve large amounts of kimchi. In time with the season, the annual kimchi making festival is taking place throughout downtown Seoul over this weekend. Almost ten-thousand participants, including first time kimchi makers from overseas, will make 260 tons of the traditional fermented cabbage dish to give it to those in need.
Our Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: Seoul Plaza in front of the Seoul City Hall is packed with people making kimchi.

More than nine-thousand people, including foreign tourists, company officials and other volunteers, are taking part in the 2014 Seoul Kimchi Making and Sharing Festival. 

Over the weekend, participants plan to make 260 tons of the Korean traditional fermented cabbage dish for those in need. 
On Friday alone, more than two-thousand people took part in the massive project. 

[Sound bite: Cho sang-beom - participant (Korean)]
"This reminds me of making kimchi with my mother when I was a kid. It is meaningful to give them to those in need."
[Sound bite: Sarah - participant (English)]
"Yeah, it's my first time doing this. I like the atmosphere. I like that all the people around us are all happy. It is a good event."

A bowl of rice and spicy kimchi is all that is needed for a simple Korean meal, and regardless of class and regional differences, kimchi is a staple for any Korean dish. 

The culture of kimchi making and sharing called “gimjang” made the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013.

Hosting the annual event, the city of Seoul plans to foster the event into a global food festival as part of efforts to promote Korean culture around the world. 

About 60 businesses will hold a discount event for their kimchi products and ingredients.
 
The city said that for the festival, parts of the roads of Taepyeong-ro and the plaza around City Hall will be closed until 4 a.m. Monday. Also, all the lanes of Sejong-daero in the Sejongro direction will be closed from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.