Abstract
Prior to 1970, it was known that Korean had our own red pepper named as Kochu and we used Kochu in preparing kimchi and kochujang. However, after Professor Lee insisted that Korean red pepper (Kochu) was transferred from Japan during the Seven Years War (Imjinwaeran(壬辰倭亂)), Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592${\sim}$1598), it has been generally accepted without any criticisms. But many old literatures have shown that Korean Kochu already existed in Korea before the war. For example, the books, Kukubkanibang ((救急簡易方) published in 1489) and Hunmongjahoi ((訓蒙字會) published in 1527), demonstrated that Kochu was cultivated as food substances or medicinal purposes. In another old literature (1460), Siklyochanyo(食療撰要), kochujang was used as an uncomfort-stomach stabilizer. In addition, Korean red pepper was genetically different from South-Mid America's red pepper called as Aji. It has been also insisted by Professor Lee that Aji was transferred to Europe by Columbus in 1492 and then to Korea by Japanese Army in order to kill Korean during the war, and the Aji was modified to Korean Kochu. In conclusion, in Korea our own Kochu was cultivated and used in the Korean native fermented foods such as kimchi and kochujang.
