Koreans don't 'treat' the cabbage. They simply pack with water and lots of salt. The natural sugars in the cabbage end up fermenting into lactic acid, a natural preservative. It is therefore 'pickled,' but not with our familiar vinegar pickling. They also add lots of hot pepper in the jar. It is definitely pungent and an acquired taste.
Almost like Sauerkraut except you don't use water.
God, I love kim-chi.
There's a Korean restaurant in a suburb of St Paul that makes great kim-chi.
Yum.