Costa Rica Strengthens Engagement with South Korean and Japanese Companies to Attract New Investment

• PROCOMER carried out an investment promotion mission in both Asian markets to position Costa Rica as a strategic platform for regional operations.

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its strategy to diversify the sources of foreign direct investment (FDI) flowing into the country, the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) conducted an investment promotion mission to South Korea and Japan aimed at strengthening relationships with companies already operating in Costa Rica while positioning the country as a strategic platform for regional business expansion.

The mission included meetings with multinational companies, investors, and business organizations, as well as the Costa Rica Investment Day Seoul 2026 and Costa Rica Investment Day Tokyo 2026 events, which brought together more than 75 business and institutional representatives from both markets. The visit took place at a time when Asian companies are accelerating the diversification of their supply chains and evaluating new locations to strengthen their international operations. Against this backdrop, Costa Rica continues to reinforce its positioning as a competitive investment destination, supported by key advantages including a highly skilled and growing talent pool, political and economic stability, sustainability, legal certainty, and preferential access to major international markets.

"Asia represents a strategic opportunity to diversify the origins of foreign direct investment in Costa Rica. South Korea and Japan are home to globally recognized companies in manufacturing, technology, logistics, and business services, all of which maintain significant international investment capacity. Strengthening our presence in these markets enables us to broaden our pipeline of potential investors, create new opportunities for the country, and continue positioning Costa Rica as a trusted partner for high value-added investment projects across the region," said Mónica Umaña, FDI Attraction Manager at the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER).

The mission—joined by Costa Rica's Ambassador to South Korea, Jorge Valerio, and Costa Rica's Ambassador to Japan, Sussi Jiménez—provided an opportunity for PROCOMER to present Costa Rica's value proposition to South Korean and Japanese companies evaluating expansion opportunities across the Americas. The agency also promoted investment opportunities in sectors including light and advanced manufacturing, packaging, construction materials, plastics, chemicals, logistics, distribution, international trade, retail, digital technologies, corporate services, agribusiness, and medical devices. In addition, meetings were held with companies already established in Costa Rica to explore new opportunities for growth and expansion.

Beyond showcasing Costa Rica's competitive advantages, PROCOMER met with prospective investors and the headquarters of companies already operating in the country to gain insights into their expansion plans, strengthen long-term relationships, identify emerging investment trends, gather market intelligence, and establish new strategic contacts to support Costa Rica's FDI attraction strategy. South Korean company SAE and Japanese medical technology company Terumo, both of which have operations in Costa Rica, also shared their experiences investing in the country with other potential investors.

Fourteen companies from South Korea and Japan currently operate in Costa Rica, reflecting the diversity and sophistication of Asian investment in the country. Among the success stories is SAE, which operates three highly automated cotton yarn manufacturing facilities. Hitachi has established a corporate and technology services operation in Costa Rica that provides regional and global support in areas including information technology, business process services, and shared business services, reinforcing the country's position as a leading knowledge-intensive services hub. Meanwhile, Terumo operates a high-tech medical device manufacturing facility producing equipment for cardiovascular procedures as well as blood and cell technologies. The company has recently expanded its Costa Rican operation by adding engineering and research and development (R&D) capabilities, further strengthening the country's role as a strategic hub for the global medical device industry.

SOURCE PROCOMER