The pickled fish, which is good in taste, digestion and preservation, can be used as not only dishes served to go with boiled rice but also seasonings for other dishes.

According to historical documents, people of the Koguryo Kingdom (B.C. 277-A.D. 668) made pickled dishes with innards of fishes. And in the period of Koryo (918-1392), such dishes of pickled fish were served on ordinary people's table as well as national banquet and sacrificial table.

The raw materials and cuisine for pickled fish got more diversified in the period of the feudal Joson dynasty (1392-1910). And such dishes made of pickled fish were exported to neighboring countries as one of the Korean specialties.

There were many pickled dishes peculiar in localities, including pickled shrimps of Phyongan Province.

The pickled fish of the Korean nation rich in lactic bacterium, vitamin and mineral matters is recognized as popular health food.