Published : Aug. 20, 2012 - 20:05
Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla Miranda (left) poses with Park Chul, president of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, after receiving an honorary doctorate at the university in Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap News)
Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan met with Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla Miranda on Monday to discuss ways to expand economic cooperation and other technological and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Chinchilla arrived here on Sunday on invitation from President Lee Myung-bak. She is the first Costa Rican president to visit Seoul in 11 years. The two leaders are scheduled for summit talks on Tuesday.
Chinchilla received an honorary citizenship from Seoul City after meeting with Mayor Park Won-soon. The two shared policy experiences and agreed to step up exchanges, officials said.
She also received an honorary doctorate from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
During her four-day stay, she plans to host a reception marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, meet with Korean businesspeople and tour universities, hospitals and other places here.
Chinchilla became the first female president of the Latin American nation in May 2010.
By Shin Hyon-hee (
heeshin@heraldcorp.com)