The government on Thursday unveiled a plan to boost tourism by promoting Korea’s most popular chicken dishes and standout restaurants nationwide. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has launched the “K-Chicken Belt” initiative, aimed at identifying high-quality local chicken restaurants and showcasing them on a curated map for international tourists. The move comes as chicken has emerged as one of the most popular Korean foods globally. According to a joint report released last month by the ministry and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp., major Korean chicken brands accounted for the largest share of global expansion by the country’s food and beverage companies over the past five years, coming in at 39 percent. Genesis BBQ and Bonchon International came in as leading players in overseas markets. To build on this momentum, the government has begun developing the K-Chicken Belt map. The project goes beyond fried chicken — the most widely recognized variety — to include a diverse range of Korean chicken dishes such as samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup),