Korea in the World: Lima, Peru
Peter Bang is one of the most influential Korean expats in Latin America today, with over 1,000 students attending his Korean Language Center each year in Lima, Peru.
“Back in 1996, while studying for my university degree, I met some Peruvians in England and they wanted me to help them change their home country, because Peruvians were not used to seeing and interacting with many foreigners,” explained Bang. With an interest in traveling, education and learning from different cultures, Bang was happy to go to Latin America and explore the region.
“My parents and I are natives to Busan, so I went there after graduating university and explained to them that I would be moving to Peru and would explore Latin America. They had no recognition of the country and had no clue what I would be doing there,” said Bang.
And Bang was not exactly sure either, since he did not speak Spanish and had no previous Korean contacts residing in Peru. He trusted his instincts and, luckily, had a few friends from England to help him out.
Bang has now been a Peruvian resident for 18 years. He is able to fluently speak, write and read Spanish and is the President and CEO of El Centro De Idioma Coreano, which translates to the Center of Korean Language, in the capital city of Lima, Peru.
Bang’s non-profit organization focuses on expanding the culture of Korea. It has become a great success, with approximately 250 students enrolling in courses each month. There is one director at the center who is also of Korean descent and several Korean teachers onboard, including Mr. Bang.
Bang knows how important it is to understand a culture through communication, so language is the center’s main focus. In addition to language studies, Korean music and festivals are also explored. During the festivals, Peruvian natives proudly wear traditional Korean clothing and eat Korean food.
“My favorite food in Peru is ceviche,” explains Bang. Ceviche is a traditional seafood dish in Peru. It is made from raw fish that is cured with lime and lemon juices, and it is served with avocados and cilantro. Ceviche is always made to order and can be served with tortillas chips, sweet potato or plantains. Hot sauce and homemade tomato salsa can be added, and the dish pairs well with an ice-cold beverage.
“I usually cook at home with my wife and we sometimes make kimchi stew, a comfort away from home,” said Bang. “Korean ingredients in Peru are hard to find, but there are restaurants here that serve Korean food. Believe it or not, there are about 1,500 Koreans living and working in Lima.”
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Koreans began migrating to different parts of Latin America over 50 years ago. The popular destinations for Korean migrants are Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. It was not until the late 1970s, when Park Man-Bok was invited to live and work in Peru as a women’s volleyball coach, that it was known for a Korean to reside there.
In the neighboring countries of Brazil and Argentina, a vast majority of immigrants have been Koreans and other Asians, bringing the total Korean population in Brazil to 50,000 and to 22,000 in Argentina. These numbers are mostly due to mass migration in the post-war era of the 1960s. In recent years, Koreans have moved to Peru for business reasons, typically the exporting of cars, computers and other services.
Jeong Hung-won, also known as Mario Yung, made headlines in the Korea Times as the first Korean native to hold a political position in all of South America. He first immigrated to Argentina in the 1990s. He later moved to Peru, where he ran for mayor of a central city and won. Losing two of his own children due to disease while living abroad, he has devoted himself to helping those living in poverty, and has concentrated his humanitarianism efforts in South America.
“I do visit Korea often to see my family and friends, but my heart is in Peru. The people here are very friendly, kind and caring,” stated Bang. He has been able to travel much of Latin America, and recently obtained his doctoral degree in biology and intercultural studies from Fuller Theological Seminars in Pasadena, California. His favorite part about living in Peru is being married to his Korean wife, and with her, helping to shape relations between Peru, Korea, and similar cultures.