Garcia Wants Koreans to Enjoy Peruvian Foods
By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
Peruvian President Alan Garcia asked Korea to ease conditions on imported Peruvian agricultural products Thursday.
In a news conference in Seoul, Garcia insisted that Korea keep the level of conditions imposed on Peruvian agricultural products moderate in order to create a win-win free trade agreement between the two countries.
He said too many conditions are being requested from Korea on imported Peruvian asparagus over elements such as the length, type and extent of exposure to noxious insects.
Garcia said, "Price and quality wise, there's no better producer than Peru, which can provide Korea with the best asparagus at an affordable price."
Peru is the world's No. 1 exporter of the vegetable, followed by China and Mexico.
According to the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, last year alone 24 tons of Peruvian asparagus worth $170,000 was imported to Korea.
President Garcia's remarks indicate the South American country's discontent over free trade negotiations between the two countries.
Ahn Dong-wook, an official at the ministry's FTA division, said, "Peru's keen interest is to expand its market in Korea for its agricultural products, including asparagus."
Garcia said the benefits of the free trade pact were also highly anticipated in Peru. "We will have high-quality products from Korea," he said.
Korea is expected to gain a bigger market share for electronic appliances and automobiles.
Garcia also encouraged Korea to increase its participation in his country's projects to expand natural resources exploration.
A new hydropower station will be constructed in the Andes, he explained, while an inland oil well has recently been found in a jungle near the country's borders with Ecuador and Colombia.
"We very much welcome Korean companies to take advantage of two new opportunities," he said, highlighting SK Energy and the Korea National Oil Corp. as currently successful Korean investors in the South American nation.