As the prices of cabbage and lettuce, which often appear on Korean food tables, are skyrocketing, ordinary people and restaurant owners are getting more and more troubled.



According to the National Statistical Office today (7th), while the consumer price index rose 6.3% last month, the price of cabbage rose 73% and the price of lettuce rose 63.1%.



In particular, self-employed people who run restaurants where cabbage kimchi is a 'must have' are complaining that the cost of making kimchi has increased by three times.



Park Mo, who has been running a bossam restaurant in Gangseo-gu, Seoul for 15 years, said, "Originally, summer cabbage is expensive, but it has never been this expensive. Silver is even worth 40,000 won,” he sighed.



He continued, "Bossam is eaten wrapped in cabbage or served with cabbage kimchi, so it is a must-have food.



Park's complaint is that the overall unit price has increased by 30-40% over the past year, but that cannot be reflected in the price.



Another bossam restaurant in Gangseo-gu was in the same situation.



Mo Hwang, who runs a bossam restaurant in front of the Gangseo-gu Office, said, "I make 3 to 4 pickled vegetables once every two days, but whenever I go to the market and buy cabbage myself, I can feel the price of cabbage going up every day."



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Reflecting this cost burden, a famous bossam franchise has raised the additional amount of kimchi by 1,000 won three to four times since last year, and is currently receiving an additional amount of 11,000 won.



Mo (26), an office worker living in Seongbuk-gu, expressed disappointment, saying, "I packed it at a local bossam house, and the amount of kimchi is definitely less than what I eat at the store."



Although they mainly handle pickled kimchi, the heartache of the kalguksu restaurant owners who have difficulty receiving additional money for refill requests has grown.



Kim (55), who has been running a kalguksu restaurant in Yeongdeungpo-gu for more than 10 years, said, "We can't even use cabbage because it's expensive in the first place."



He said, "I make radish and radish kimchi two or three times a week, and the price of radish has doubled, so it's a big deal," he said.



Mo (57) Lee, who has run a noodle restaurant nearby for 13 years, said, "It's too high to go up. I make cabbage kimchi myself every time, so the experience is bigger." "If customers ask for more kimchi, I have no choice but to pay more. , it is true that it is becoming increasingly burdensome.”



Side dish stores that sell cabbage kimchi are also trying to make a living by raising the price per kg or reducing the quantity to the existing price.



Company A, which sells kimchi online, sold jeokjeolgi for 10,000 won per kg in May, but



The price per kilogram of cabbage sauerkraut guided by Company B has risen to 11,000 won in May, 12,000 won in July, and 13,000 won this month.



Based on 3 kg, the sales price increased by 20% in three months from 30,000 won → 33,000 won → 36,000 won.



Song Mo (52), who lives in Dobong-gu, said, "I recently bought cabbage kimchi and cucumber kimchi at a side dish store. The price was the same, but I was surprised that the quantity decreased by 70%."



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Lettuce has become as precious as cabbage.



Mr. A, the president of a pig's feet restaurant in Gangseo-gu, said, "Although we maintain unlimited refills of lettuce, a box of 4 kg of lettuce has recently jumped from 80,000 to 90,000 won. However, labor costs must also be considered,” he sighed.



Park Mo (26), an office worker living in Nowon-gu, also said, "I recently went to a beef restaurant next door and was embarrassed because they only gave me two basic lettuce pieces. "I thought, 'The price of lettuce has gone up a lot,'" he said.



(Photo = Yonhap News)