Lunar New Year's Day - Folk Holiday of Korean Nation

Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- The Korean people celebrated the Lunar New Year's Day (lunar January 1) as their folk holiday from olden times. Early on that day's morning they made New Year's bows toward their parents. Sharing special dishes with neighbors and playing folk games, they spent the day pleasantly. The day was called "Sesu", "Nyonsu" and "Wonil", all of which meant the first day of a year. They also made special foods on that day, considering that delicious foods led to their good health. Such foods include rice cake and rice dumpling soup. Rice cake was made in two major ways - by pounding boiled rice or steaming rice powder. Rice dumpling soup is boiled bean paste soup with sliced rice cakes in it. When visitors came on that day, Koreans usually served them rice dumpling soup. Specials foods for the day also include mung-bean pancake, wheat-flour cake, pop-rice cake and fruit punch Today is the Lunar New Year's day. -0-