Under the Vision Sharing Program for National Development, the Korea Foundation invited five ministerial-level officials from Central and South American countries, including Costa Rica’s Minister of Science, Technology and Communications Luis Adrián Salazar Solís and Ecuador’s Minister of Industries and Productivity Eva Garcia Fabre, to Korea from August 5 to 11, 2018.

Launched in 2011, the Vision Sharing Program has provided an opportunity to consolidate economic cooperation between Korea and Central and South American countries through the invitation of about 40 ministerial-level officials and presidential aides in charge of national development strategy. In 2015, Ecuador’s Minister of Coordination of Production, Employment and Competition Nathalie Cely Suárez visited Korea under the program and announced the beginning of negotiations for the Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement (SECA) between Ecuador and the Republic of Korea.

During their recent visit to Korea, the Central and South American ministers also participated in the Korea-Latin America Business Forum co-organized by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and the Korea Foundation on August 8 to discuss the current status of cooperation and business investment after the signing of the Republic of Korea-Central America Free Trade Agreement. The forum was attended by representatives of Korean firms in Central and South America and leading figures in trade and diplomacy sectors, including Kim Seong-in, Executive Vice-President, Korea Foundation; Kim Chang-gyu, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Legal Affairs, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Energy; Shin Soong-chull, President, Korean Council on Latin America and the Caribbean; and Bark Tae-ho, former Minister for Trade, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.