Korea-Latin America Economic Cooperation Week kicked off Monday in Seoul with a grand opening ceremony in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of their economic partnership.

Hosted by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and organized by the Korea International Trade Association, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, Korea Institute for International Economic Police and Korean Council on Latin America and the Caribbean, the seven-day convention takes place from Sept. 24-28 and from Oct. 4-5, and features a total of 15 economic and non-economic panels. 

Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and about 300 participants from Korea and 15 Latin American countries ― Guatemala, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Haiti, El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Panama, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay ― attended the first day of the convention.

Mentioning his visit to three Latin American countries this year, the prime minister expressed hope to strengthen Korea’s partnership with Latin American.

According to MKE, the first generation of 1,033 Korean immigrants to Latin America encountered the continent for the first time in 1905 after about a month-long sail on a British merchant ship.

These immigrants landed at Yucatan, Mexico, where they arduously made a living by working at a farm called Henequen, MKE said. Korea and Latin America have become crucial economic partners since 1962.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)