MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — In a bold new advertising campaign, the government in the Mexican state of Nuevo León is extending a spirited invitation to South Korea fans: Come home to Monterrey for the World Cup. For many, such a trip won’t just be a sports junket; it will be a family reunion.The ties between the two distant lands are etched into the very skyline of the region. In the bustling municipalities of Apodaca and Pesquería, which hug the borders of Monterrey, South Korean industry has become the heartbeat of the local economy.The transformation began in 2006 when LG Electronics established its appliance stronghold in Apodaca, planting the first seeds of a cross-continental partnership. A decade later, the stakes were raised when KIA Motors arrived in Pesquería.The impact on Pesquería was nothing short of miraculous. Once a quiet, sun-baked agricultural town where life moved at the pace of a harvest, the arrival of the massive automotive plant transformed it almost overnight into a high-tech global industrial hub. This metamorphosis earned the area the affectionate nickname “Pes-korea.”
Estimating the number of South Koreans currently living near Monterrey is complicated. Citizens of that country don’t need visas, and the number fluctuates. The honorary consul of South Korea in Monterrey, Gregorio Canales, estimates there are about 5,000.
