[KS] A chopsticks question

[Kaliher, Kenneth L.]

   Disposable balsa wood chopsticks were used very widely in Korean-style
restaurants in Korea until several years ago, when the Chosun Ilbo (if
memory serves me correctly) promoted a nationwide campaign to stamp out
their use in favor of reusable metal chopsticks.  A primary reason was,
indeed, the fact that all such wood had to be imported; China was a major
supplier, but so was my home state of Minnesota, believe it or not.  The
mountains of waste their use created was another factor, of course.  An
online edition of New Jersey’s “Garden State EnviroNews” says South Korea in
1995 “banned” the use of disposable wooden chopsticks in larger restaurants.

   As for the “uniqueness” of Korea’s metal chopsticks (and the pride many
Koreans take therein), I am quite sure I recall a Korean studies list
discussion on that topic a few years back, and some credible assertions that
metal chopsticks are, in fact, used elsewhere as well.  I can’t find any
record of that in the list archives, however, so cannot expound any further.
   Off to lunch, with knife and fork today; METAL chopsticks for dinner
tonight....
 
Ken Kaliher 
 
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“I am always struck when visiting South Korean universities by the apparent
affluence of students. While it is not my role to lecture South Koreans on
their social preferences, that tenured-for-life academics would be unwilling
to sacrifice their cell phones and hair dye in the pursuit of liberating 22
million of their countrymen from the world's most odious regime strikes me
as utterly incomprehensible.”
  -- Marcus Noland, of the Institute for International Economics, in a paper
on “North Korea and the South Korean Economy”
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Alon Levkowitz [mailto:levko at zahav.net.il]
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2003 3:30 AM
To: Koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws
Subject: [KS] A chopsticks question
 
A chopsticks question.
I know that my question is not ‘high politics’ but I hope that someone in
the group could assist me. Is there a difference between wooden and metal
chopsticks? What I would like to know is- if there is a cultural difference,
do for example Korean use one kind and other nations use a different one and
why.
 
Thanks
Alon
Alon Levkowitz
Tel/Fax- 972-3-6133045
Email: levko at inter.net.il <mailto:levko at inter.net.il> 
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