Costa Rica ready for FTA with Korea in 2012

Ambassador Fernando Borbon of Costa Rica is completing his posting in Seoul on an upbeat note, saying the Korea-Costa Rica FTA is ready to be signed in 2012.

The two countries have been in negotiations for a free trade agreement and, Borbon noted confidently, “it will likely be signed in 2012.”

Korea and Costa Rica established formal diplomatic ties in 1962 and will mark the 50th anniversary of relations next year when FTA negotiations will likely be concluded.

Borbon is finishing up a four-year stint as his country’s ambassador to Korea, but he’s not leaving for good. “I do not say goodbye, I’ll just say until we meet again,” Borbon said.

“I am a career ambassador, but I'm also pastor of the Manmin Church of Korea, and as such, I hope to visit Korea at least four times a year to engage in our church, in summer retreats, and in the celebration in 2012 of the 30th anniversary of the inauguration of the Manmin Church of Korea.”

Borbon will assume his post as the Ambassador to Guatemala. Ambassador Manuel Lopez-Trigo, an experienced diplomat in his own right, will be Costa Rica’s new representative in Korea. He is expected to arrive in Seoul in the coming weeks.

Borbon described his time in Korea as a “blessing,” adding that for the four years of his posting he has also been an “Ambassador of Jesus Christ” working as a pastor of the Manmin Church.

Borbon’s relationship with Korea runs in many aspects of the ambassador’s life. He described how his daughters and grandchildren practice taekwondo, “in our house there will always be not only the Korean flag, but also the Taekwondo flag,” he said.

Korea and the Central American country share goals and face similar problems in at least three respects, he said.

“Costa Rica is a country where education and technology take the lead over other countries in the Americas; Korea does that in Asia and Costa Rica is the oldest democracy in the Americas; Korea is the largest democracy in Asia,” Borbon said.

“Costa Rica has problems with its northern neighbor, Nicaragua and the Sandinista governments while Korea has problems with its northern neighbor,” the Central American career diplomat said.

“We will celebrate 50 years of friendship, brotherhood and mutual support, and we are working on the next 50 years,” he concluded.