Seoul City's official Chinese promotional materials have been mislabeling kimchi as 'paocai', a type of Chinese pickled vegetable, leading to a backlash. According to Seoul City Council member Kim Hye-young, the mistranslation appears on the city’s Chinese website and in the 2025 tourist guidebook, where kimchi stew is referred to as 'paocai tang'. Additionally, the Kimchi Museum located in Insadong is mistakenly referred to as the 'paocai museum'.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued a directive in 2021 to correct such mislabeling, stating that the unique Korean dish kimchi should be translated as 'sinchi' in Chinese to prevent confusion between kimchi and the Chinese dish paocai, especially in light of ongoing debates over the rightful ownership of kimchi's origins with China and Japan. Despite these guidelines, the Seoul City government has failed to comply, leading to criticism and demands for immediate corrections.

In response to the criticism, a Seoul City official clarified that the errors originated from the Seoul Tourism Foundation, a subsidiary responsible for the promotional materials, and that they will ensure the inaccuracies are rectified promptly. This incident highlights the ongoing cultural and culinary disputes surrounding kimchi and raises questions about the importance of accurate cultural representation in public communications.