Eduardo Castaneda, charge d’Affaires at the Peruvian Embassy in Seoul, contributed the following article to The Korea Times on the occasion of Peru’s Independence Day which falls on July 28. –– ED.
We have celebrated the 191st anniversary of the Independence of Peru on July 28.
The strategic position of Peru allowed foreign royalist forces to keep a last bastion of power in the region and therefore threatened the security of our neighboring countries that had achieved its autonomy.
This situation was finally over in 1824 with the battle of Ayacucho which consolidated the independence in our subcontinent.
Currently, on our way to the bicentenary of the Independence, and as a peaceful nation with a history of democratic values, respect for human rights and an integrationist will in the region, Peru has earned a stable economic development and a better distribution of the incomes. Now, we are dedicated to make the above mentioned development a reality to all areas of our country.
Peru is an attractive place for foreign investors in areas such as energy, mining, infrastructure, and technology, among others. We have established a stable and attractive legal framework for private national and foreign investment with the purpose of attracting financial and technological participation required to develop vast natural resources and opportunities in our country.
The Peruvian government believes that the fields of technology, education, research and industrial development, are our top priorities for internal consolidation and international projection. Because of this shared vision, we have found in the Republic of Korea a great ally in cooperation in several areas, such as technological transference.
The bilateral relation with Korea, established in 1963, has reached its highest level with the signature of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, sealed during the visit of the President of Peru, Ollanta Humala, last May.
On 2013, both countries will celebrate our 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and we are completely sure that the ties between our nations will grow stronger day by day.
The Free Trade Agreement, signed between both countries in 2011 is expected to increase substantially the current commercial trade of $ 3 billion.
At the same time, the continuous visits by ministers, high rank officials and Peruvian professionals to Korea as well as Korean high rank officials to Peru reflect an active agenda for our bilateral relations and defining Korea as one of the major partner countries of
Peru, not only in Asia but throughout the international community.
Finally, as Peru is heading to its bicentennial, we are receiving the strong support of Korea. We will offer more of our country. “Peru, to the world” is our reason. That’s our pride, and our commitment as a nation with the future.