By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
Though he appeals to his own people through powerful speeches and physical charisma, Peruvian President Alan Garcia's appeal to Koreans may be his pragmatic approach.
President Garcia, who arrived in Korea Tuesday evening, had only five delegates accompanying him, a tiny number for a presidential trip.
He is said to have chosen to take a commercial flight, instead of a chartered one, and is expected to brief Korean journalists on Peru-Korea relations directly Wednesday.
A Korean diplomat familiar with Gracia's visit said that these factors add up to show the president's willingness to get high-priority business done during his less than three-day visit.
He arrived in Korea Tuesday and will leave today.
Garcia's first presidency, between 1985 and 1992, saw his image tarnished due to a bad economy and an embezzlement scandal. He went into exile in 1992, and returned home in 2001.
In 2006, he regained the presidency, thanks in part to his powerful public speaking.
Garcia's visit is of particular interest because of his personal connection with Marcela Lopez Bravo, the ambassador of Peru in Korea.
They both studied at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru in Lima, the capital of the country.
The president is seeking to strengthen Korea-Peru relations, which have undergone a period of change in recent years. Korean companies' presence in the country's oil exploration and production projects has become more visible.
For example, SK Energy has found oil reserves at three different locations that are being used now. Another location is under exploration.
The company is also part of Peru LNG, a project to produce and deliver liquefied natural gas. In regards to the bidding for a $4 billion petrochemical project ― the winner of which will be announced next year ― an SK Energy representative dismissed speculation that it had already secured the deal.
On a cultural level, the Peruvian Embassy, together with The Hankuk Ilbo, will showcase artifacts of the Inca Civilization at the National Museum of Korea starting from December.