Why are red pepper paste in Korean cuisine and hot sauce in Szechuan cuisine relatively recent traditions?

The premise that red pepper paste in Korean cuisine and hot sauce in Szechuan cuisine are relatively recent traditions is accurate because these dishes rely on chili peppers, which are not native to Asia.1

Chili peppers originated in the Americas and were introduced to other parts of the world, including Asia, following the Columbian Exchange that began in the late 15th century. Before this global redistribution of crops, these regions lacked the specific ingredient required to produce the spicy, pungent flavor profiles now associated with their traditional cuisines.1234

• Korean Cuisine: Gochujang, a staple spicy paste made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, and glutinous rice, is a fundamental component of modern Korean food, including kimchi.56
• Szechuan Cuisine: The signature ma la (numbing spicy) flavor profile of Sichuan cuisine relies on the combination of spicy chilis and peppercorns, a pairing that only became possible after the arrival of chili peppers in the region.4

Because these peppers had to be introduced, adopted, and integrated into local agricultural and culinary systems, their status as foundational elements of these regional cuisines is a development that occurred well after the initial contact between the Americas and the rest of the world.123