This article is by Seo Ji-eun and read by an artificial voice.

[AMBASSADOR'S TABLE]

Seoul's ambassadors are often gastronomes keen to share a taste of their home cuisine. In this series, the Korea JoongAng Daily asks the diplomatic corps to introduce our readers to their favorite restaurants representing cuisine from their homelands, while chatting about issues of interest to our Korean and global audience. - Ed.

Despite Seoul and Buenos Aires being halfway across the globe from each other - among the most distant capital city pairs in the world - Argentina's top envoy in Korea is leveraging language, food and personal experience to narrow the geographic and cultural gap.

Argentine Ambassador to Korea Dario Celaya is not only his country's top diplomat, but also a dedicated student of Korean culture. Celaya bowed and offered greetings in Korean before and after a recent interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily - small gestures that reflect a genuine commitment to cultural understanding.

"I started studying Korean in Buenos Aires before my posting […] and I did a one-year [diploma] course in Korean Studies - history, economy, society, religions, culture as a whole," Celaya said. "One of the reasons is communication, but also to understand more and appreciate the differences within the world."

One vivid example of the deepening ties, he said, is how Korean culture has permeated Argentine society.

"We celebrate National Kimchi Day in Argentina on Nov. 22," he said, becoming the first country outside Korea to mark the day at a national level. He pointed out how the Korean dish is increasingly served as a side with Argentina's iconic grilled beef, or parrillada, at local restaurants - a sign that Korean flavors are becoming part of the country's diverse culinary identity shaped by generations of immigration.

Although Argentina may be unfamiliar territory for Korean businesses and is seen as volatile by foreign investors due to its history of currency fluctuations, Celaya pushed back on such perceptions, arguing that the current exchange system is far more stable and predictable than many assume.

"We have only one currency," he said, referring to the Javier Milei administration's move to unify multiple exchange rates into a single official floating rate for all foreign trade.

Because the peso now fluctuates only modestly within the band, he explained, "[the rate] varies only a little from Monday to Friday," making planning for imports and exports much more predictable.

He added that this stability, combined with ongoing reforms to reduce the fiscal deficit, cut taxes and deregulate the economy, creates a more investor-friendly environment for long-term engagement.

Below are edited excerpts from the interview, his first with a Korean media outlet, edited for length and clarity.

At the end of the 1990s, Argentina decided to promote the Malbec wine. All embassies and consulates abroad are encouraged to celebrate the occasion on the same day if possible, often with wine tastings. We don't have an Argentinian restaurant in Seoul, so we celebrated in Korea in a partnership with the Spatula restaurant on April 17, along with Argentinian cuisine and different kinds of Malbec.

What defines Argentine cuisine?

Beef is central to our gastronomy, though we also enjoy pork, chicken and lamb.

Another key element is the strong influence of immigration from Europe and the Middle East. Traditional Argentinian cuisine is called cocina criolla, which means "cooking made by the inhabitants of Argentina."

The Spaniards brought beef consumption; Italy brought pasta in many forms; France contributed breads, pastries and desserts; and Middle Eastern immigrants introduced exotic spices. In recent decades, Asian communities, including Korean, Japanese and Chinese, have added their own flavors to the mix.

This year marked the 60th anniversary of Korean immigration to Argentina. Could you tell us about the Korean community in Argentina?

Today, there are aro...