8,000 Chinese will be treated to samgyetang

About 8,000 workers from a Chinese health care company, on an incentive tour to Seoul, are planning to enjoy samgyetang, a type of Korean chicken soup made with Chinese dates and ginseng, for a dinner party in early May, the Seoul metropolitan government announced on Wednesday.

The workers, who are from the Joymain Science and Techonology Company, will visit Seoul separately, divided into two groups of 4,000. The samgyetang party will be held on May 5 and May 9 in Banpo Hangang Park, southern Seoul. Kimchi and ginseng liquor will also be served at the dinner. Afterwards, the guests will watch a performance by popular Korean singers featured in music from the Korean drama “Descendants of the Sun” (2016).

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, which is planning to export samgyetang to China, suggested that the popular Korean cuisine be served to the Chinese tourists. To promote the dish, five companies associated with the Korea Broiler Council provided enough for 8,000 people, free of charge, to the Seoul government.

The Korea Tourism Organization expects the tour to yield about 49 billion ($43 million) in profits.

BY KIM NA-HAN [shin.sooyeon@joongang.co.kr]