Korean local nutrition Myung Kuk Lee Department of Surgery, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea Traditional Nutrition : Korea is one of the rice eating countries in Asia since Paleolithic age. Therefore, the traditional nutrition sources of liquid, soft and solid nutrients are basically rice-based. Liquid diet "Mee-um" is the soup of boiled rice (water gruel). Another liquid form is the beef broth, boiled in a low temperature for several days. Both of them have been utilized for long time as nutrients particularly for the sick people. Soft diet "zook" is semi-solid boiled rice gruel. These are usually served with soy source. Regular solid food "Bab" is steamed rice, served with vegetables, seafood or meat. Traditional nutrients such as "Zud-gal (salted seafood)", "Kimchi", and "Duenzang (soy -past)" are known to have the effects of proiotics. Hospital Nutrition : The three rice-based forms have been adapted to the hospital formulae for long period of time. The table is gradually turned to the western style with the recent socio-economic development. In soft diet, milk is provided regularly, and the milk intolerance becomes less remarkable. Tube feeding for mulae have been branded in the hospitals for years, but now in turning points of adopting commercial forms or modification on the commercials with adding some modular elements in cases. Commercial forms : There are many domestic food companies producing so-called instant foods. For the tube feeding regimens, two major domestic companies are covering various kinds of specified polymers, such as iso-osmolar, diabetic, critical care or oncologic regimens. Imported ones are from about six international companies of various spectrums of polymers, modulars and one elemental diet. These regimens contained higher fat contents than the traditional dietetic proportions, 10 -15% Government policy : All the people in this country are covered by the government-controlled medical insurance since 1989. But the hospital diet and EN have not been reimbursed at all until the end of 200. Beforehand, only limited indications of elemental diet in limited amounts are permitted. This is the limiting factor of marketing in this country. Conclusion : The commercial forms are handy, useful and safe for hospital and home utilities. But each nation is supposed to develop their own regimens an-justed to their own traditional lifestyle for better health. From "The 7th Congress of the PENSA Abstract Book" Bali, Indonesia, August 24-26, 2001 Page : 36