[Talk with]Straight to the point on Bulgaria

Bulgarian Ambassador Kossio Kitipov, right, and his wife, Varbinka Gugovska-Kitipova. By Jeong Chi-ho

Bulgarian Ambassador Kossio Kitipov is a no-nonsense guy. At least that’s the impression I got when I visited his home for this column. He is also a man that likes to see how well prepared you are.

When I sat down and was getting ready to start the interview, the ambassador threw me a question: “Do you know where Bulgaria is?” Huh? Wait a minute! I get to ask the questions! What is this?

For a moment I was taken aback. Not because I didn’t know where Bulgaria was (it’s neighbored on the north by Romania, on the east by the Black Sea, on the south by Turkey and Greece, and on the west by Serbia and Montenegro), but because I’m the one who usually does the grilling.

But Ambassador Kitipov was ready, map at hand, for potential ignorance on my part. He pointed placidly with his index finger, and nodded approvingly when I told him that Bulgaria acts as a link between the Caspian Sea and the Middle East. I felt like a student who had just passed a pop quiz. Guessing that I passed the initial screening, I started breathing easier.

Palacinka

Damn it! It shouldn’t be like this. A reporter is never on the defensive - that’s been drilled into my head since day one. Charge until you drop. But here I am, trying to relax.

For any ambassador who might be reading this, I shall add that I’m ALWAYS prepared. As basic preparation, I read the Wikipedia and CIA World Factbook articles before I pay a visit. I make mental notes of the current problems your country faces, but I try to avoid asking that type of question. I keep that info as my get-out-of-boredom card in case I don’t like the food or your answers (with a heavy emphasis on the former).

One question I always ask ambassadors or their spouses is their perception of Korea before they came here. Of course, we all know that nobody (ambassadors in particular) will dare say they thought the host country was some backwater hole.

The answer given by Ambassador Kitipov was this: “I prefer with my own eyes to have my own perceptions. We are going to dinners, cocktail parties - but one should know a lot about real life. You can pretend that you know but you don’t unless you see the real lives of the people.”

I’ve had people give me this kind of answer before. It’s passable. But what the ambassador said next caught my attention.

“To come to Korea is my personal choice,” he said.

Now that’s original. I don’t remember hearing that one before.

“Our history of diplomatic relations is short. We have established the basics, such as visits, and the legal basis is also almost established. Now it’s time to bear the fruits of the cooperation,” said the ambassador. Pointing out that trade volume is only about $142 million, the ambassador noted that there is a large room for improvement.

Speaking on cultural exchanges, he was again very sober. “I am a man of reality. I know it’s a long distance between the two countries. From Sofia to Seoul, you have to take a flight via Frankfurt or Paris. And you have to stop there for a couple of hours ... It’s difficult. It’s expensive. This is an obstacle,” said the ambassador. “But we have a very strong weapon. It’s the export of musicians. You can find them everywhere.”

His initial plan is to have musicians play small concerts to introduce Bulgarian culture to Korea. The ambassador hoped that this will inspire companies to get involved in bringing in Bulgarian artists.

He also pointed out that Bulgarian wine was a commodity he was looking to introduce here. Interest in wine has blossomed in Korea over the last couple of years. In a country where harder liquors like whiskey and soju have long been the mainstream, wine culture has really taken off - and I’m not only talking about French wine. Bottles now pour in from corners of the world as far away as South Africa and Chile. I imagine that once Bulgarian wine gets its distribution down and the word is out, it will do just fine.

The main course is palacinka, a common dish that can easily be found in Eastern European countries like Hungary and Romania. A savory crepe-based meal, it’s light and easy on the stomach.

The ambassador’s wife, Varbinka Gugovska-Kitipova, tells me there’s a Bulgarian restaurant with a Bulgarian chef in Seoul (I don’t tell her the JoongAng Daily’s Hannah Bae has already reviewed it), adding that another one is expected to open this month.

When I first talked to the ambassador’s wife, there was something about her that I couldn’t quite place. When the ambassador told me she used to work as a TV reporter, it made sense. She has a very clear voice and is very outspoken on different issues. As she comes from a country that has gone from communism to a free market economy, I asked her how things had changed in the media.

“It was very complicated then. You felt free but you were not. Now the situation is very different.”

Ambassadors are essentially caretakers and entrepreneurs that have to nurse bilateral relations between their nation and the host country while looking for ways to further the mutual interests. In Ambassador Kitipov’s case, there is much work to be done, as he is looking to bring the relationship between Korea and Bulgaria to the next level. Probably the biggest event of his term here will be an upcoming visit by the Bulgarian president slated for sometime in the fall of next year. Both sides will look to announce cooperation deals at that time.

The ambassador is a man on a mission. I wish him good luck.

By Brian Lee Staff Reporter [africanu@joongang.co.kr]