MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — The government of Mexico’s Nuevo Leon state is offering a cheerful invitation to Korean fans in a bold new advertising campaign. world cup.
For many, such trips are more than just sports junkets. It will be a family reunion.
The bond between two far-flung lands is etched into the region’s very skyline. In the bustling municipalities of Apodaca and Pesqueria, which border Monterrey, Korean industry is the heart of the local economy.
The transformation began in 2006 when LG Electronics established its consumer electronics headquarters in Apodaca, planting the first seeds of a transcontinental partnership. Ten years later, the stakes were raised when KIA Motors arrived in Pesqueria.
The effect on Pesqueria was nothing short of miraculous. Once a sleepy, sun-drenched agricultural town where life moved at the pace of the harvest, the arrival of large-scale car factories transformed it almost overnight into a high-tech global industrial hub. This transformation led to the area being affectionately nicknamed “Pescoria”.
Estimating the number of Koreans currently living near Monterrey is complicated. Citizens of the country do not need visas, but the number varies. Gregorio Canales, South Korea’s honorary consul in Monterrey, estimates the number to be around 5,000.
“South Korea is the second largest investor in Nuevo León, bigger than Canada and surpassed only by the United States. South Korean manufacturing is very important to Monterrey,” Canales told The Associated Press.
Many Koreans work in Pesqueria, Apodaca, and Monterrey, and the landscape has changed to accommodate the new residents. Major supermarket chains like Soriana, the Mexican version of Walmart, have signage in Spanish and Korean, and are stocked with authentic K-BBQ restaurants, Korean grocery stores, and more.
“Traditionally, Monterrey has had very few immigrants from other countries. That’s why you see so many Koreans,” Canales said. “I know a lot of Korean restaurants, temples, and the very important Our Lady of Fatima Church, which has mass in Korean once a week. They feel comfortable and happy here.”
The arrival of the Koreans has motivated local entrepreneurs to take advantage of the market, including small businesses like Mario Alberto Cantu, who runs a tire repair shop in downtown Pesqueria with signs in Spanish and Korean. ,He estimates that almost half of his customers are Korean.
“When I started the business, I decided to take some of their language and put up a sign that said ‘Tires for Sale’ so they would feel included and know there was a service for them and a business they could understand in their language,” Cantu said. “At first we were all surprised and uncomfortable, but they are already here and we have to adapt to it.”
Local Koreans have also adapted over the years, and some have even learned Mexican slang.
“Now they speak a lot of Spanish, Mexican slang, and they know how to swear. It’s amazing how many of them can speak Spanish so well,” Cantu said.
It is also difficult to estimate the number of Koreans in Monterrey, as many Koreans remain after finishing their factory jobs.
“Many of them get married and stay. The Mexican lifestyle suits them. I have met many people who have left their formal jobs and come to live in Monterrey. They prefer to stay here rather than go back to Korea,” Canales added.
Connection with the World Cup
The timing of the government’s campaign to invite Korean fans is perfect. There is a deep-rooted “soccer debt” between the two countries, and residents have not forgotten this.
In the 2018 World Cup, South Korea defeated Germany and Mexico advanced to the final tournament. In Monterrey, fans famously marched to the South Korean consulate, chanting “Correano, hermano, ya eres Mexicano” (Korean brothers, you are now Mexican).
In addition, Monterrey-based Cuauhtemoc Brewery sent hundreds of boxes to the KIA factory as a thank you.
“We had a beer truck out here, which was a very thoughtful gesture, something you don’t see very often,” said Rafael Medrano, KIA’s head of human resources. “I had never had an experience like that before, and I think it surprised everyone who was here at that moment. And we left with an experience that we can share in great joy.”
What will happen at the World Cup?
The arrival of the World Cup in Monterrey will also be noticed at the KIA factory. Although only 15% of its 2,500 employees are Korean nationals, the company plans to hold several events, especially on June 24, the match between South Korea and South Africa. Since KIA is an official sponsor of the World Cup, the human resources department will be distributing match tickets to employees for the semifinals and finals, as well as for Mexico.
“People are very excited. The enthusiasm for the World Cup is very visible. We had the opportunity to get tickets so that our colleagues could also watch an important match,” added Medrano, 43.
In addition to the match in Monterrey, the Koreans will play two remaining matches. 1st round match Mexico and the Czech Republic will play in Guadalajara, Mexico’s other venue for the World Cup.
“The Koreans are very, very excited to see their team play here. I don’t know if the enthusiasm we Mexicans have will be contagious to the other cultures we interact with in this factory,” Medrano said.
More than 112,000 Korean tourists will visit Mexico in 2025, and that number is expected to increase with the World Cup, according to Maricarmen Martínez, Nuevo Leon’s tourism minister.
The agency has announced that it will hold a “Korea Week” in Monterrey during June to accommodate the expected influx, and the atmosphere is likely to be more like a “home game” for the Daegu Warriors when South Korea takes on South Africa in Monterrey. Monterrey Stadium will be filled not only with visitors, but also with thousands of locals who call both Seoul and Monterrey home.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
