maybe try tweaking the amount of hot pepper flakes. if salt is a big concern, adding more hot pepper can increase the fermentation of the good bacteria. i don't know how that works, but every time i hear about kimchi the people tell me hot pepper is really important -- almost as important as the salt. (I live in Korea and eat kimchi every day for almost every meal.) I've been to a couple of company gatherings and there's usually a kimchi presentation involved. invariably, hot pepper is lauded as the substance that makes kimchi possible. I've heard it called things like "force multiplier" and "super catalyst."
Also, most sources (old ladies in school kitchens) tell me that you can eat kimchi a day after it is brined.
