The purpose of the contest was to find out the original methods of making them and to put their processing on a scientific basis, thus making the dining table of the people more bounteous.

Crude liquor and sweet drink are traditional drinks of Korea.

Crude liquor is made by fermenting white rice, wheat and other starchy materials with malt and straining them raw through a sieve. It had been a drink indispensable on the dining table of the Koreans.

Peasants drank the sour and refreshing crude liquor during breaks in field work in sultry summer and mealtimes.

It was served as a festive drink on red-letter days, wedding days and other ceremonies.

It was called thakju, thakbaegi, nongju and nongthak in different areas.

Sweet drink is easy to make in families. It is made by slightly fermenting boiled rice after maturing it with germ barley.

It is similar to sweet drink made from fermented rice in that starch is saccharified, but it is slightly alcoholic as it goes through a process of partial alcohol fermentation.

Known as a famous product of North and South Phyongan provinces from olden times, it was widely served on holidays and birthdays.