By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo

Guatemalan Ambassador to Korea Sara Solis Castaneda visited the Honorary Consulate of Guatemala in Busan and expressed her willingness to cooperate to facilitate the import and export of coffee from three Central American countries, including Guatemala, through Busan Port.

According to the Honorary Consulate of Guatemala in Busan on Aug. 4, Ambassador Castaneda visited the Honorary Consulate of Guatemala in Busan, Busanjin-gu, Busan. Ambassador Castaneda met with Guatemalan Honorary Consul General Lim Su-bok and they agreed to work together to import and export coffee from the three Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica through Busan Port.

Guatemala produces about 180,000 tons of coffee annually, which is equivalent to Korea's annual coffee consumption, but as of 2023, its export volume to Korea is only 5% of its total production. 

However, South Korea's coffee imports from Guatemala have been growing at an annual rate of 250% in recent years, and Guatemala and three other Central American countries are looking to South Korea as a major exporter of specialty coffee.

In terms of global coffee exports, Guatemala ranks 4th in specialty coffee and 9th in total coffee exports, while Honduras ranks 2nd in specialty coffee and 7th in coffee exports. Costa Rica is the country that introduced fermented coffee and is making a name for itself in the specialty coffee field.

"As a global coffee logistics hub, we will do our best to successfully export coffee from the three Central American countries centered on Busan Port," said Lim Su-bok, chairman of Kang Lim CSP, who has been the honorary consul of Guatemala in Busan since 2016.