By Wendy Anders

A delegation of aeronautical experts from South Korea gave a training to their Costa Rican counterparts as the country starts the lengthy process of establishing a new international airport in Orotina, Puntarenas.

“Korea and Costa Rica are two geographically small countries that are competing with neighboring countries. Incheon airport was built to replace the old Seoul airport, and for 10 consecutive years we have been the number one in efficiency and safety,” said Hernando Kim, Senior Manager of Incheon Airport Trade Division on his visit to Costa Rica this week.

The training was part of a technical cooperation agreement between Costa Rica and South Korea, said Engineer Guiselle Alfaro, Deputy Minister of InfrastructureAlfaro.

“They are very interested in cooperating with Costa Rica so the new airport incorporates the model of efficiency and technology employed at the Incheon airport,” said Alfaro.

Kim said Costa Rica will survive regional competition by developing a new airport such as the one it plans to build in Orotina.

Ennio Cubillo, Director General of Civil Aviation, added that the site study, overall design, and master plan for the new Metropolitan Airport of Costa Rica, is progressing satisfactorily and will be completed by the middle of next year.

By mid-2017, the British company Mott MacDonald Ltd, will deliver the conceptual design of the future airport to the Costa Rican government. The plan will include location of runways, terminals and other aeronautical infrastructure as well as an inventory in the international financial community of possible sources of financing for iconstruction.

The British firm specializes in advanced aeronautics analyses that include technical, operational, construction, financial, social, meteorological, environmental, and other aspects, said the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works in a press statement.