Crisis fermenting as cabbage shortage hits South Korea's kimchi culture

Rainy weather means households are struggling to find affordable ingredients for spicy pickle

South Koreans are facing a shortage of a beloved dietary staple after a summer of extreme weather destroyed crops of cabbages - the main ingredient of kimchi.

In what is being described a full-blown crisis, fields of Napa, or Chinese cabbages were wiped out in August and September, when the Korean peninsula was struck by typhoons, floods and landslides, sparking a sudden spike in the vegetable's price.