Newly accredited Ambassador Rodolfo Solano of Costa Rica hosted a reception at the Belle-Vue Suite of Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Jan. 15, 2016 to mark the occasion of his presentation of credentials to President Park Geun-hye at Cheong Wa Dae. Attending the reception, among the guests, were Director Choi Jun-ho of the Central America & Caribbean Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director An Se-Jin of FTA Negotiation Coordination Division of the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy and many ambassadors from the Latin American and other countries.
Among them were Ambassadors Jorge Roballo of Argentina, Ramzi Teymurov of Azerbaijan, Bruno Carrilho of Brazil (CDA), Suth Dina of Cambodia, Jario Lopez of Costa Rica, Oscar Gustavo Herrera Gilbert of Ecuador, Herrera of El Salvador , Gerhard Sabathil of Delegation of the Europan Union, Gustavo Adolfo Lopez Calderon of Guatemala, Michel Idiaquez Baradat, Jose Luis Bernal of Mexico, Jaime Antonio Pomareda of Peru, Raul S. Hernandez of the Philippines, Gonzalo Ortiz Diaz-Tortosa of Spain.
Speaking to the guests, Ambassador Solano said in part, “Costa Rica enjoys a strong relationship with Korea since 1962 with our ties going far beyond trade and investment.” He said, “The two countries have developed close cooperative relations in a wide range of areas and friendly dialogue on major international issues.”
He noted that “Costa Rica and Korea show that distance is not an excuse. Distance is the fastest way to be close and near to work together. I always believe that diplomacy is about sharing and that sharing also means the use of the world together. He said, “When you share together it is easy to find the way to be happy.” Then he said, “Let me share with you five principles: (1) Everything happens for one reason, (2) Life only gives you as much as you can handle, (3) Happiness is a choice, (4) Nothing is permanent and (5) You always have the final say. Then he said: “Once again, thanks to be here, thank you for the very warm welcome you have given me, thanks to my colleague Minister Jairo Lopez for this support and thanks for the Embassy Staff, Ms. Kim, Ms. Lee and Mr. Hong, you are a great team.”
In closing, He said, “I want to finish my words saying: We are in Korea. We are together. We are happy. Now dear friends, please allow me to propose a toast to your good health, the friendship between Costa Rica and Korea, and all the friendship between all of us.”
Ambassador Solano is not new in Korea. He previously worked at the Embassy of Cost Rica in Seoul as Minister-Counsellor from 2003 to 2010 and made many good Korean friends.
Ambassador Michel Idiaquez Baradat of Honduras of Honduras offered a toast celebrating the accreditation of Ambassador Solano of Costa Rica to Korea.