Establishment of Republic of Korea and the Food Situation During the Korean War

The food life of Korean people during establishment of Republic of Korea and the Korean War is reviewed. After liberation in 1945, the division of South and North Korea, the establishment of governments, and the ensuing Korean War made Korean society extremely chaotic and subject to transformation. Consequently, data on Korean dietary life during this period (1945–1960) are scarce and unreliable. The author tries to reveal the food situation and the health and nutritional status of Koreans during this period by examining data released by the US National Archives and other review books. Regarding the nascent period of the post- Korean War food industry, data from a recent 50-year history of the Korea Food Industry Association have been compiled.