This paper presents a formalized framework for defining corecursive functions
safely in a total setting, based on corecursion up-to and relational
parametricity. The end product is a general corecursor that allows corecursive
(and even recursive) calls under well-behaved operations, including
constructors. Corecursive functions that are well behaved can be registered as
such, thereby increasing the corecursor's expressiveness. The metatheory is
formalized in the Isabelle proof assistant and forms the core of a prototype
tool. The corecursor is derived from first principles, without requiring new
axioms or extensions of the logic
