By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
A silver haired man's rough hand reaches out for a blooming flower in his garden full of young greens. Dressed in a red-checkered shirt, he fluently lists names of all the flowers and trees taking full cover. The 76-year-old man shines a quick smile _ a retired gardener you ask? Far from it. Former ambassador Lee Bok-hyung just stepped into the biz.
``I am a happy, hard-working gardener without payment. While taking care of the grounds at the center, I can forget about worldly matters,'' said Lee, who is the co-founder of the Latin American Cultural Center and Museum. He is hard at work extending the center beyond just a museum into a place one can let go in and relax.
Lee, who had worked as an ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Mexico, and also the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean opened the center on Oct. 6, 1994 on retiring.
The center, which mainly consists of a museum, gallery and sculpture park, boasts one of the largest private collections in the country.
He said he could not have achieved what he has without the support of his partner, his wife.
``My wife had such a hard time taking care of me while living in Latin America,'' he said in an interview with The Korea Times. ``In 1993 when I retired, she suggested I let her lead in a dance, so we began building this place as she led.''
When they bought the 7,000 pyong (22,100 square meters) stretch of land for the center 40 years ago, there was nothing but grass and a mountain, he recollected.
``At that time, land prices were as low as 300 won per pyong,'' said Hong Kap-pyo, his wife and co-founder of the center. ``We poured his retirement grants and our sweat into the project.''
Nestled in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, the museum was first built in 1994 next to ``hyanggyo,'' a Confucian school of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).
The couple filled the place with their collections such as traditional masks, musical instruments, ceramics and craftworks.
Three years later, they built a gallery next to the museum.
But all of sudden, when the financial crisis hit South Korea in 1997, they found themselves in a dire situation.
``I can't describe how badly we were off. We couldn't even pay our electricity bills at that time,'' Hong said. ``As the saying `heaven helps those who help themselves,' we tried to solve our problems and it worked.''
By word of mouth, the center was well attended and they didn't need to worry about financial problems any longer.
The center now possesses more than 3,000 pieces from tribal carvings to contemporary drawings, and 100,000 to 120,000 people visit the place each year.
Presidents and ministers from Latin American countries have visited the center and expressed surprise over its extensive collections, Lee said.
``They said they saw their own cultures in a foreign country, far away from their nations,'' he said. ``I don't think any other Asian nations have cultural places as unique as this one.''
Lee said he hopes that Korean people, especially kids, can experience Latin American culture and get a balanced international view through the center.
Hong said she is happy when she sees people getting 45,000 won's worth of entertainment after paying the 4,500-won administration fee. ``The ultimate joy of culture is obtained through sharing not possessing.''
Even though attendance at the center is increasing, they still have big plans for the future.
Lee said in November, they plan to reconstruct a baroque-style catholic chapel, which is the cultural and social basis of Latin America. ``We are also preparing an outdoor theater to present concerts and performances.''
For further information on the center, visit www.latina.or.kr or call 031-962-7171.