[Interview] Mr. Gustavo Koo, CEO of Nutri Huevo, Paraguay

[Interview] Mr. Gustavo Koo, CEO of Nutri Huevo, Paraguay

http://cafe.daum.net/weeklymonday/iSZz

[Gustavo Koo is a second-generation Korean, living in Paraguay. In addition to being     the CEO of the largest poultry company in Paraguay and the President of the Paraguay  Korean Association, he also contributes to several NGOs and civil society organizations and now serves as a Board Member of eight of these institutions. He has a degree in     Architecture from the University of Southern California. –ED]

 

Q1 I know you are a Korean born in Paraguay, a second generation Korean Paraguayan. Please tell us more about your family and yourself.

A1 My father immigrated to Paraguay in 1965, with the first group of Korean immigrants. At that time, Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world and  Paraguay decided to open the doors to Korean immigrants. I am the oldest of four brothers, and although we  all finished our high school and universities in the U.S., now all four of us are living in   Paraguay. Three of us joined the family poultry       business and one brother decided to embark on a different business. I am married with two kids, who now are third generation Koreans.

 

Q2 You are the CEO of NutriHuevos, a leading poultry company in Paraguay. Can  you  tell us about your company? For example, how did your family start the company, how  big is it, and how many eggs does it produce?

A2 My father founded the company 47 years ago. At first, he raised broilers (poultry      meat) and then changed the business to egg production. At the present time, we are the  largest producer of eggs with an estimated market share of 35%. We have 1 million layers producing approximately 720.000 eggs daily.

 

Q3 You are President of the Paraguay Korean Association. Can you briefly tell us about  the Association? And what do you do as President?

A3 I am the 36th President of the Paraguayan Korean Association. The main role of the  association is to represent the Korean community here in Paraguay. We estimate that     there are about 5.000 Korean immigrants, including the descendants. The first Koreans    arrived here more than 50 years ago, so we, the new Board members, designed a vision for the next 50 years. As a Korean community, we want to contribute economically,       politically, and culturally to the Paraguay an society. This country really opened its doors and hearts to the Korean people, so we are convinced that it is our role to return the      gratitude to the Paraguayan people. I am the first second generation President, and I      hope to be the bridge to achieve our vision.

Q4 What are your visions as CEO of NutriHuevos and as President of the Paraguay      Korean Association?

A4 As a company, we want to grow more and therefore contribute to the economy and    the community that surrounds us. NutriHuevos has a very strong Corporate Social        Responsibility Department and it is now considered one of the best companies in          Paraguay. We really do care for the wellbeing of our employees, so we have 33 different types of benefits to improve their life quality. We are also very much involved within the  communities we operate because our philosophy is that “there cannot be a successful   business in a frail community.” We also contribute to different civil society and NGOs in Paraguay. So between my brothers and I, we are in the Board of 10 different                associations and NGOs.

 

Q5 Is there anything you want from Korea, or the Korean government, as an overseas    Korean?

A5 The Korean government has a strong presence here in Paraguay with its Embassy,   KOIKA, and several Korean government agencies. Actually, Korea is one of the             Paraguayan government’s strongest partners, cooperating in several sectors to improve  the efficiency of governance.

 

Q6 What are your family precepts, or your philosophical view of life?

A6 Although I was born and raised in this country, my way of viewing life is deeply         influenced by Korean Confucianism. And as a devoted Christian (elder of a Korean        Presbyterian church), I believe that we have a mission here on earth. I live every day to  the fullest so that I can accomplish the mission that was given to me.

As a Korean Paraguayan, I do hope to contribute to this country that gave thousands of Korean families the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and live a good life.

 

Q7 Can you leave any message for our readers, especially Korean middle and high       school student readers?

A7 The world is changing at an amazing speed. Korea is an economic miracle and an     example to all developing countries. However, I don’t think that the actual education      system of Korea is raising the future leaders of the world. I believe that we need to widen our horizons, see where the world is going and be educated to become global citizens.  Travel more, experience different cultures, learn several languages, be sensitive to the    needs of others, and learn to work and live in cooperation.

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