Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong held separate talks with his Costa Rican and Guatemalan counterparts in Seoul on Friday to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation, the foreign ministry said.

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Rodolfo Solano Quiros and Guatemalan Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo Vila were in Seoul to attend the Korea-LAC Digital Cooperation Forum held earlier this week. LAC stands for Latin American and Caribbean countries.

In the talks with the Costa Rican minister, Chung voiced hope that the two countries can further expand bilateral exchanges, particularly as they are to celebrate the 60th anniversary next year of the establishment of bilateral relations.

Chung called Costa Rica a "traditional partner that shares the core values of democracy, peace and human rights." Chung also congratulated Solano, a former ambassador to Seoul, on having been promoted to the country's top diplomatic post.

Solano expressed hope that the two countries can work together to expand bilateral trade and investment.

Later in the day, Chung met with Brolo and expressed expectation for expanded economic cooperation between South Korea and Central and South America in areas, including infrastructure, information and communications technology, health care and medicine.

Brolo also expressed expectation that South Korean enterprises will expand investment and business activities in his country. Some 150 South Korean businesses are known to be operating in Guatemala. (Yonhap)