Costa Rica Reaps Harvest of Non-Military Policy
By Yoon Won-sup, The Korea Times

Costa Rican Ambassador to Seoul Pedro Hernandez said his country is ready to attract Korean businessmen who are eager to make inroads into markets in Latin America and the United States.

``Among other things, we have high skilled and educated workers in Costa Rica,’’ Hernandez said. ``Korean investors will very much like them for their high capability.’’

The 61-year-old ambassador went on to say that political and societal stability also make for a favorable environment to do business in the Central American country.

``In addition, Costa Rica provides very strict legal system under which all the contract is guaranteed to be correctly implemented,’’ he continued. ``Plus, geographically, it is a gateway to North America, South America and Europe,’’ he added.

Hernandez stressed that the above-mentioned business-friendly environment is mainly due to the Costa Rican government’s historic decision to totally dismantle the military in 1948.

``Costa Rica has not had military forces like tanks since 1948 because keeping armed forces costs very much and more importantly we don’t have enemies,’’ he said.

The envoy said the money, which had been spent for maintaining military forces, has since been used for health and education of the public.

The medical doctor-turned-diplomat happily showed statistics indicating that his country is well advanced in the area of health and education.

As of this year, life expectancy was 74.2 years for men and 79.5 years for women, and the illiteracy rate covering those aged over 14 was 4.7 percent, he said.

``Now we are collecting the harvest of the non-military policy,’’ he said with a smile. ``We showed the world that a democratic nation could do well without military forces.’’

The ambassador was very proud that his country has suffered from coup d’etat only three times since 1821 when Costa Rica gained independence from Spain.

Moreover, Costa Rica signed free trade agreements (FTAs) with various countries including Chile, Mexico, Canada and the Dominican Republic, from which the ambassador said Korean businessmen in Costa Rica will get benefit.

``Costa Rica already discussed the FTA with the U.S., and it will be signed in the near future,’’ he said. ``Then, Costa Rica will offer a perfect place for foreign businessmen to export their goods to the U.S.’’

Hernandez, who arrived in Seoul as ambassador in February 2003, said he was very surprised by the huge changes in Korea from when he had visited here 30 years ago.

He majored in health administration in Nagoya University in Japan, and visited Pusan, Seoul and Kyongju during his summer vacation in 1975.

``The captain of the ship from Japan to Korea told me that I was the first Costa Rican on board,’’ he said.

The ambassador still remembered his trip to Kyongju well, where he had visited Pulguk-sa Temple and the Sokkuram Grotto.

``I spent two days in Kyongju to see Pulguk-sa Temple and the Sokkuram Grotto,’’ he continued. ``Those were very lonely place without cars and travelers.’’

Recently, Hernandez visited Kyongju again to see the Buddhist temple but he found many things changed. For example, a Korean house where he had slept disappeared and Kyongju was crowded with tourists.

The ambassador, who is well aware of Korean history, said he liked the way Koreans work and reported to his government that Costa Rica also should do what Koreans does.

``We’d like to learn the Korean-style of work, so-called `ppali-ppali (hurry up),’’’ he said. ``We have to hurry up because we don’t want to stay behind in this globalized age.’’

He noted that that spirit must have been the reason behind the miraculous economic growth of South Korea in the relatively short period of time.

Hernandez said that the Costa Rican government will build a Korean park in the capital city of San Jose soon as the Costa Rica Plaza was inaugurated in Seoul last December.

The Costa Rica Plaza was built at World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, where the Costa Rican Embassy is situated.