Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) — Koryo Insam is a specialty of the DPRK as it has been widely cultivated since the period of Koryo.

The original home of insam is Kaesong. Its root shape resembles figure of man.

Insam, cultivated in the Kaesong area with peculiar soil, water quality, meteorological factor and cultivation method, has medicinal effect which can not be compared with others.

The cultivation of insam was more brisk in Koryo period with the accumulation of cultivating experience and growing demand.

Especially in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, its cultivation was widely spread and Kaesong flourished as the center of its cultivation.

Since it was exported to other countries, it has been known to the world as “Koryo Insam” and “Kaesong Insam”.

Insam is divided into red insam, white insam and sugar insam according to its processing methods.

Red insam is made by steaming fresh insam in a certain temperature and drying it, white insam by drying the fresh one and the sugar insam by boiling the fresh one in sugar water.

Koryo insam contains various glycosides good for human health, essential amino acid, various kinds of vitamins and minerals.

The Korean people have used insam for their diet, and a typical traditional dish is chicken soup boiled with insam.

The chicken soup boiled with insam as well as chestnut, jujube, ginkgo, garlic, etc. has been regarded as health and macrobiotic food among the Korean people from olden times.

The custom of cultivating and using Koryo Insam was registered as one of the national intangible cultural heritage in May 2016.