Korean businesses make large investments in textile industry in Guatemala

Ambassador Herbert Estuardo Meneses Coronado of Guatemala in Seoul said that in the last 15 years there were big investments by Korean companies in the Guatemalan textile sector with aims to export to their products to the United States--using the benefits provided by the Free Trade Agreement between Guatemala and the U.S.
Speaking at a recent interview with The Korea Post, publisher of 3 English and 2 Korean-language news media, Ambassador Coronando then stated: “In that same way there are a lot of sectors that could be benefited by this proven formula, auto parts, vehicles, ships, electronics, all of them can use this strategy.”
“Specially” emphasized Ambassadpr Coronando, “the Korean businesses can set their plants and factories in Free Economic Zones like the one called ‘Michatoya’ which provides a lot of benefits for investors.” Details of the interview follow:

Question: What are your competitive products and services attractive to Korea and what are the Korean products and services that your country wishes to import?
Answer: We have a proud Coffee sector which can satisfy even the most demanding taste of the Korean consumer. We can also provide sugar, avocado, flowers, spices and wood, there are also informatics products and programming services. In terms of services there is a lot of logistics companies that can improve the access of products to the US market.
Guatemala is interested in packaging material and products, cosmetics, beverage packaging and medicines.

Q: Please introduce your Head of Government in detail, including major achievements.
A: President Jimmy Morales Cabrera (1969) took office on January 14, 2016 as the fiftieth President of the Republic of Guatemala after being elected in the general and democratic elections of 2015. He is the son of José Everardo Morales Orellana, radio announcer by profession and Celita Ernestina Cabrera Acevedo.
Together with his brother Samuel Morales, they developed and ran a successful TV Show that began in 2000 called Moralejas. They also starred in pictures and shorts films with their production company Moralejas Films.
He completed his secondary school and high school at the Evangelical Latin America Institute (IEAL) where he graduated with the title of Expert Accountant. He later obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Administration at the School of Economics of the San Carlos University of Guatemala and took Theology classes at the Baptist Theological Seminary as a secular student. He also finalized all course works from the Media Administration Major at the Universidad Panamericana, and holds a master's degree in Strategic Studies with a specialization in Security and Defense.
Morales has a degree in audiovisual production at Radio Televisión Española in Madrid, Spain, and has a large number of graduates in public administration and public policy. He also completed all course work of the Doctorate in Strategic Security of the Faculty of Law of the University of San Carlos de Guatemala.
He has been a university professor at the School of Economic Sciences and at the School of Communication Sciences of the San Carlos de Guatemala University and he is a leading lecturer on issues of entrepreneurship, communications and value leadership.

Achievements:-
Fight against drug trafficking:
The DOS Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) reported that Guatemala’s current Administration has shown political will to combat drug trafficking, corruption and violence. Records for drug seizures have been achieved (2017).
Thanks to the support of INL, more than 60 workshops were provided to Guatemala´s Anti-Narcotics, Interdiction and Anti-Terrorist Force (FIAAT), 5 new police stations were built, new equipment was provided to enhance FIAAT´s administrative capabilities and strengthening of the new prison management model was achieved (Nov 2017).
Fight against Corruption:
Guatemala’s Government is respectful of the rule of law, judicial proceedings and its timeframes. To date, different cases related to corruption are being tried by the Judiciary.
The continued efforts to fight against corruption were recognized by Department of State Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, during the UN Anti-Corruption Conference held early November in Vienna.
Between 2016 and 2017, 97 cases related to corruption were prosecuted, 127 people were formally charged and 39 convictions were issued.
Increase in revenue:
Tax collection revenues increased by 7.3% in the first semester of 2017.
Because of expenditure containment, revenues increased to a positive amount of $ 277 million.
Alliance for prosperity Plan:
It’s a joint regional plan created and implemented by the United States, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador created in 2014. It contains a well-designed, innovative approach towards the ongoing Central American immigration crisis. Its aim is to reduce the migrants’ incentives to leave their countries by prioritizing a cause-based approach to address what is often seen as an ongoing immigration crisis.
Guatemala allocated US$ 893 million of its National Budget to the Plan in 2017. For every dollar received from U.S. funds, Guatemala´s Government allocates five dollars.
Human Rights:
In the annual report of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Guatemala does not appear on the list of countries that violate human rights (April 2017).
Education-
Coverage: Almost 3 million students enrolled in the public education system, 33,000 more than in 2016.
Quality: 40% of the education is bilingual (Spanish and Mayan languages).
Professionalization: 604 teachers graduated from the university program of multicultural and bilingual teacher training.
A National School Governments and youth entrepreneurship plan for vocational training was launched.

Q: Please introduce yourself fully to our readers.
A: Dr. Herbert Estuardo Meneses Coronado
E-mail: estuardomeneses@hotmail.com

Education:
Rafael Landivar University Guatemala
1983 – Graduated in Law and Social Sciences
Professional titles of Lawyer and Public Notary
San Carlos University, Guatemala
1986 – Studies of Magistracy in Public Administration.
Central American Institute of Administration of enterprises (INCAE)
1988 - High Administration
“Rio Branco Academy of Brazil”, Brazil
1998 - Diplomatic training course, Guatemala City
Brasilia University, Brazil
2001 – Post graduated of International Relations, specification of the External Policy of Brazil
Havana University, Cuba
2009 – Doctorate (Phd) in Political Sciences
Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
2015 – Course in External Policy of Russia in the globalized world.
Languguaes:
Spanish - English – Portuguese
Political participation and publications:
1984- Supervisor of courts and the Supreme Court of Justice
1991- Vice Secretary of the political affairs for the President of de Republic of Guatemala
1993-1994- Deputy Minister and later head of the top Office of the Ministry of Culture and Sports
1994-1998 – Guatemalan Ambassador to Nicaragua
1998-2001 –Guatemalan Ambassador to Brazil
2003 – Vice presidential candidate in the Guatemalan elections of 2003
2004-2006 – Representative of Guatemala in the Inter American System of Human Rights
2007-2012-Guatemalan Ambassador to Cuba
2012- to present Guatemalan Ambassador to the Russian Federation and to the Republics of Belarus, Armenia, Kazajstan, Moldova, Azerbaijan and Ukraine.
2016-Ambassador to the Republic of Korea
Publiations:
2010: Co-author of the book “We are from the Liceum” (Guatemala, 2010)
2011: “Brief Thoughts for one Great Nation” (International Fair of Books, Cuba, 2011)
2015: “The Conflict of the Peace” (XVII International Fair of Books, Moscow, 2015)
* Various sketches and comments in the press, dedicated to the law, international affairs and social and political events in Guatemala
Other activities:
Lecturer and professor at several universities:
- San Carlos” University of Guatemala and the National Institute of Public Administration: State, Society and Public Administration; Public Management and Negotiations; Public Policies and the State Theory Social Audit Community
- Mariano Galvez University: Public Policy and Social Audit Community
- Central American University of Business Sciences (Nicaragua): Diplomatic and Consular Law
- University “Rafael Landivar” of Guatemala: Notarial Law I
- Pan-American University of Guatemala: the theme of the Central Government and the Local Government
- Lawyers and Notaries Association and in the Distance Education University State of Costa Rica: International Law of the Human Rights and the International Law of the Humanitarian Rights
- Conferences in the Universities of the United States of America, the Russian Federation and in the Republics of Ukraine, Belarus, Cuba and Nicaragua.
Art activities:
Member of the National Camera of broadcasters of the Republic of Guatemala
Member of the Spanish Association of Authors and Editors
Member of the Cuban Association of Authors and Composers

Q: Who are the major Korean companies actively engaged in bilateral economic cooperation?
A: The way to answer this question is to list the companies that have invested in Guatemala which have an origin in Korea. Most of them are in the textile sector and that has developed in the Korean population living in Guatemala which amounts to at least 8,000.

Q: What is the present volume of bilateral trade, its outlook in the next 12 months.
In terms of trade:
A:

The outlook is a balance in favor of Korea specifically in industrial products and a smaller amount of exports from Guatemala primary of mineral products.
Other details that Your Excellency might consider to be important.
Korea is known by its excellence in science and technology, and therefore we are open to study and learn from the Korean experience, especially in the areas of environmental conservancy and the establishment of a well-functioning e-government system.
In that sense we are looking forward to bring more Guatemalan professionals, government officers and young students, who can beneficiate from this knowledge.