Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto speaks about Korea-Italy relations during an interview with The Korea Times at the Embassy of Italy in Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto says her country seeks faster approval processing for key Italian agricultural exports, citing significant delays attributed to strict sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.
“Within the European Union-Korea Free Trade Agreement, which is the legal framework of bilateral trade between Italy and Korea, there are a number of sanitary and phytosanitary barriers,” Gatto said during an interview with The Korea Times at the Embassy of Italy in Seoul, Thursday.
“The Korean government imposes a series of long procedures before certain agri-food products from Europe — Italy in this case — have access to the Korean market.”
Gatto identified three products of particular interest for export to Korea: beef, processed pork and oranges. She noted that while progress has been made, it is not moving as swiftly as desired.
“For beef, the procedure is ongoing but not as fast as we would like,” Gatto said.
“We have finalized the technical questionnaire and now the Korean authorities need to analyze and verify all the technical details. This is taking some time, and we want to speed this process up. After that, there will be further steps, including inspections by Korean sanitary authorities in Italy and parliamentary approval before we can export Italian beef.”
Discussing the potential for exporting oranges, Gatto indicated that technical discussions are progressing. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Italian Ministry of Agricultural Food and Forestry Policies are in dialogue and waiting for approval from the Korean authorities to conduct surveys and inspections in Italy.
The situation for processed pork, particularly Italian ham, is more complex due to recent cases of African swine flu in some Italian regions.
“Because of very strict rules from the Korean authorities, we have faced a temporary export ban for three years, which is a very long time,” Gatto said.
“These three products from Italy are somewhat hostage to the sanitary and phytosanitary barriers. We would like the Korean authorities to be a little bit faster in analyzing our documents and replying to our market access requests.”
The ambassador spoke to The Korea Times ahead of Italy's National Day on June 2, which she says is of "immense importance for Italy." She explained that the day commemorates the historical referendum that took place 78 years ago, when Italians, for the first time, voted universally, including women, to choose a republican system over a monarchy. This decision has shaped the democratic foundations of Italy, and Italians celebrate it everywhere with pride and joy.
Samsung Electronics' "Newfound Equilibrium" design exhibition is advertised on an outdoor billboard at Milan Cathedral, April 15. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
Territorial diplomacy
The ambassador has set territorial diplomacy as one of her priorities to better connect regions and further strengthen the ties between Italy and Korea, highlighting how territorial diplomacy can foster deeper cooperation and mutual understanding between the two nations.
“Territorial diplomacy is about more than just national governments working together. It involves regions, cities and local communities engaging in direct dialogue and collaboration,” Gatto said.
The ambassador emphasized that this approach can lead to more meaningful and practical outcomes by addressing the specific needs and opportunities of local areas not only between capitals but also other major Italian cities, including Milan, Terrin, Florence and Venice.
“The partnership between the Lombardy region in Italy and the Gyeonggi Province in Korea is a testament to the potential of such collaborations. This regional cooperation has led to significant advancements in technology exchange, cultural programs and economic development,” she said.
Gatto also mentioned the importance of cultural exchanges in territorial diplomacy saying cultural diplomacy plays a “crucial role in bridging gaps and fostering mutual respect,” and that such initiatives like the Italian Cultural Institute in Seoul and various exchange programs have been pivotal in bringing people closer together.
The ambassador also highlighted the role of innovation and technology in territorial diplomacy. “Innovation districts in Milan and Seoul have been collaborating to promote smart city initiatives, digital transformation and startup ecosystems. These efforts not only drive economic growth but also enhance the quality of life for our citizens,” she said.
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Cuisine and culture
The ambassador also expressed her deep admiration for Korean cuisine and culture, emphasizing her commitment to promoting culinary exchange between the two countries.
"There is a lot to do because, first of all, I love Korean food. I'm one of your fans, one of the reasons why I really wanted to come here," Gatto said.
"It was my first choice to come here, and I was lucky. Korean food is not known enough in Italy, but I really think it will be overwhelming everywhere one day."
Gatto drew parallels between Italian and Korean culinary philosophies, noting that both emphasize high-quality ingredients and essentialism.
"Your food is completely different from ours but has more or less the same philosophy: good products, not too many creams, but really the product and essentialism. Taste is important, and there is a sort of elegance in presentation. We have a completely different elegance in presentation, but we appreciate yours also," she said.
Addressing the mutual exchange of culinary traditions, Gatto pointed out that while Italian food is well-appreciated globally, Italian wine still has room to grow in international markets, including Korea.
"Italian wine has a special philosophy. We are a country based on small and medium enterprises, more than 90 percent of our GDP, and very few conglomerates. This results in an enormous variety of wines. We are the number one producer in the world of wine and have the most variety of wines in the world," the ambassador said.
She acknowledged the challenges faced by small Italian wine producers in marketing their products internationally.
"Being many, it's difficult to agree on a marketing policy. Each one is a little bit going their way. We are trying to help them get together and be more effective in marketing. One weakness, which is also a strength, is that being small means if a Korean wants to import a lot of a particular wine, there isn't a lot available. But we don't want mass production because mass production means lower quality," Gatto said.
Gatto plans to blend Italian cuisine with Korean liquors, or vice versa, during the annual Italian Cuisine in the World Week held in mid-November to better promote the synergy between the two nations' cuisines and beverages.
"I intend to showcase Italian dishes paired with 'makgeolli' (Korean rice wine) and other Korean beverages. We'll maintain the integrity of Italian cuisine while complementing it with suitable Korean drinks. My mission is to promote both Italy and Korea together, embodying the essence of my efforts," she said.
The ambassador recently emphasized the profound cultural similarities between Italy and Korea, highlighting how these connections can strengthen bilateral relations.
"As I have discovered more and more, Koreans and Italians are really similar. Initially, I had a little understanding of this, but my experience here has deepened my appreciation for our shared traits," she said. "Many colleagues might say this, but I genuinely believe it to be true in our case."
The ambassador pointed to the geographical similarities as a starting point for this connection, with both countries having peninsular morphologies with seas all around, as well as strong points of contact in the character of the people. She described the initial shyness of Koreans compared to Italians, but noted that this is quickly overcome.
"Koreans might be more shy at the beginning, whereas we Italians are less so. However, once you move beyond this initial shyness, which stems from good education and manners, you discover that Koreans are very warm," she said.
"In Europe, there is a general perception that Asians are quite reserved, but it's not like that at all. Koreans are very passionate and love to have fun, which makes us very similar."