President Lee Arrives in Paris... Summit with Macron on the 8th to Discuss a 'New 140 Years' of Korea-France Cooperation

Expanding Cooperation in Advanced Industries Including AI, Space, and Nuclear Energy Beyond Security and the Economy
Focus on Whether Concrete Action Will Be Taken on Cooperation Such as Hormuz Deployment
Business Roundtable and Meeting with OECD Se

President Lee Jae-myung, who is on a state visit to France, arrived in Paris on the 7th (local time) after completing his schedule in Saint-Paul-de-Vence near Nice. On the 8th, President Lee will hold a summit meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation, ranging from security and the economy to advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), space, and nuclear power.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung are disembarking from Air Force One at Paris Orly Airport and moving to the official vehicle on the 7th (local time). 2026.9.8 Yonhap News Agency Photo by Yonhap News

Following the upgrade of bilateral relations to a “global strategic partnership” during President Macron’s state visit to Korea in April, this summit is expected to focus on translating that partnership into concrete cooperation. This meeting also carries significance in setting the future direction of bilateral ties as this year marks the 140th anniversary of Korea–France diplomatic relations.

On the day of the summit, President Lee will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe and attend an official welcoming ceremony hosted by the French side. He will then have a one-on-one luncheon with President Macron at the Élysée Palace, followed by an expanded summit with representatives from both countries.

The agenda for the summit is expected to center on strategic communication regarding rapidly changing global affairs, as well as expanding cooperation in the fields of the economy, trade, and supply chains, and in cutting-edge technologies such as AI, space, nuclear power, and bio. Strengthening joint efforts on security and economic issues with France—a key member of the European Union (EU) and a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council—is also a main objective of this state visit.

Stabilizing the Strait of Hormuz, which has come into focus amid recent developments in the Middle East, is another issue of interest. France has been actively involved in international cooperation for the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and has continued relevant discussions with Korea. However, the Presidential Office did not disclose in detail how the issue of the Strait of Hormuz would be discussed at the summit.

Kang Yoo-jung, Senior Spokesperson of the Presidential Office, held a briefing at the press center set up in central Paris, stating, "Stabilizing the Strait of Hormuz is crucial for the stability of crude oil imports and the safety of the people and the nation," and added, "President Lee is giving much thought to this matter." She also noted that which specific agenda items will be discussed at the summit is difficult to disclose at this stage.

Economic cooperation is also a key topic of summit diplomacy. On the occasion of President Lee’s state visit, the two countries are strengthening frameworks for industrial, trade, and supply chain cooperation, including establishing a new “Strategic Industries Dialogue” at the ministerial level. After the summit, a business roundtable involving major companies from Korea and France is also planned.

The Presidential Office's vision for this visit is to give substance to the global strategic partnership agreed in April, broadening the scope of cooperation not only in security and the economy, but also in future industries and cultural and people-to-people exchanges. After fulfilling the summit schedule, President Lee will also attend the “Korea–France Business Roundtable” with participation from around 20 companies from both countries, as well as a state banquet hosted by President Macron and the First Lady.

On the 9th, President Lee is scheduled to meet Bruno Fuchs, the Speaker of the French National Assembly, hold a luncheon meeting with the Korean community, and have an audience with Matthias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Previously, on the 7th, President Lee jointly chaired the “Lumière Summit”—an international film and media leaders’ conference—with President Macron in Saint-Paul-de-Vence in southern France. The two nations announced a cooperative plan to each invest 500 million euros (about 800 billion won) in the film and visual media industry from 2027 to 2031.

President Lee also met consecutively with Korean filmmakers and leaders of global content companies to discuss support for the creative ecosystem and strategies to expand the global reach of K-content. Having expanded the foundation for cultural and content cooperation in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, President Lee plans to focus in Paris on elevating cooperation across all sectors—from security and the economy to advanced industries—between the two countries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.