Red bean and peanut are the crops that the Koreans have long since cultivated and used in their dietary life.

   Burnt red beans were discovered at the Odong site in the city of Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province and the house site No. 39 in Sokthan-ri in the city of Songnim, North Hwanghae Province. This fact shows that red bean is one of dry field crops with the longest history of cultivation in Korea.

   The Koreans raised red bean extensively and used it in preparing various foods by adding it to rice, porridge, pancake, savoury cake, dumpling, rice ball, etc.

   It is said that the name of peanut was derived from the fact that the nut grows under the ground after its blossom fell off.

   At one time, owing to the officials’ indifference to the cultivation of the two crops, their output was decreasing in the country as the days went by.

   Early in June 2003, Chairman Kim Jong Il said to the officials: Red bean and peanut are becoming rare things these days. It is necessary to take a measure to cultivate red bean and peanut on a large scale.

   Thanks to the measure taken by him, the rural communities began to grow red bean and peanut on a large scale. As a result, the two crops, which had been regarded as rare things in the past, turned into common ones and the people’s dietary life further improved, overflowing with the national flavour.