The South Korean government reached an agreement in a meeting with President Pacheco at the President’s House in Zapote. President Roh Moo-hyun was impressed by Costa Rica’s natural beauty, ” I was shocked by the blue of the sky and the mountains”, he told reporters before heading to New York.

The agreement was outlined between Costa Rica’s INBIO (National Institute of Biodiversity) and South Korea’s KRIBB (Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology), and is for the establishment of Korea-Costa Rica Biodiversity Research Center.

The $6 million pledge will be destined to building the center, intended to include equipment, buildings, exchange of scientists and education. S. Korea considered several organizations in Latin America for the project, and INBIO came out as the best partner.