Kim Jong Il, inventor of the burrito? North Korean state media makes strange claim
By Sarah Yukiko
January 4, 2022
North Korean state media has claimed Kim Jong-Il invented “wheat wraps,” which closely resemble burritos.
In a propaganda video from Pen News, a street food stand outside the Kumsong Food Factory in Pyongyang was shown selling “wheat wraps” to people, including children and soldiers. More shots displayed an industrial kitchen with trays full of filling, which appeared to contain vegetables like cabbage and carrots. Spinning meat resembling an al pastor trompo could also be seen in some shots.
It is unclear who in North Korea has access to the burrito-adjacent “wheat wraps.” North Koreans have historically faced food shortages, with the COVID pandemic increasing food instability in the country. Farming issues and vulnerability to climate change may create additional problems for people there.
While the more precise origins of the burrito are undetermined, they are known to have originated somewhere in Mexico and have existed since at least the 1900s, growing popular in the U.S. in the 1950s.
Images via Pen News
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