President Lee Discusses AI and Quantum Cooperation with Korean and French Business Leaders, Including Chairman Jay Y. Lee

President Lee Attends Korea-France Business Roundtable
Samsung and Mistral Forge Investment Partnership
Naver and Mistral Explore Global Entry into the Sovereign AI Market
Quantum, Power Grid, Hydrogen, and Biotech Cooperation Also Discussed
Lee: "Joint R&D and Large-Scale Investment Can Shorten Development Timelines and Increase Efficiency"

During his state visit to France, President Lee Jae-myung met with leading business executives from Korea and France on the 8th (local time) and agreed to expand investment and business cooperation in advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, energy, mobility, and biotechnology. Samsung Electronics is pursuing a strategic investment partnership with France's leading AI company, Mistral AI. Naver is also collaborating with Mistral AI to explore joint entry into the global sovereign AI market.

President Lee Jae-myung held a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris, France, on the 8th (local time). 2026.9.8 Yonhap News Agency

In the afternoon, President Lee participated in the Korea-France Business Roundtable with French President Emmanuel Macron. The event was co-hosted by the Federation of Korean Industries and France's Mouvement des Entreprises de France, and brought together more than 30 key business leaders and senior government officials from both countries. From the Korean side, notable attendees included FKI Chairman Ryu Jin; Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee; LS Chairman Koo Ja-eun; Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon; LG Electronics President Ryu Jae-cheol; Hyundai Motor President Song Kim; Hanwha TotalEnergies CEO Nahang Seob; Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon; and Seojin Seok, CEO of Celltrion.

Companies from both countries focused on ways to combine their respective technological and manufacturing capabilities to respond to the ongoing technological revolution and the realignment of global supply chains. The scope of the discussions was wide-ranging, covering areas from AI and quantum technology to mobility, energy, biotechnology, and beauty.

The AI sector was particularly notable. Samsung Electronics and French generative AI company Mistral AI agreed to pursue a strategic investment partnership. Naver and Mistral AI, building on their existing relationship, discussed ways to jointly target the sovereign AI market—which incorporates each nation's data, language, and regulatory characteristics—and to expand their collaboration globally.

In the emerging quantum technology sector, a collaboration model was proposed to combine the core technology of French quantum computing firm Quandela with Korea's semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and AI infrastructure. The idea is to establish a new industrial ecosystem by merging France's strength in quantum technology and Korea's competitiveness in semiconductor and manufacturing industries.

In the energy field, proposals included connecting France's power grid modernization projects with the advanced electric equipment technology of Korean companies. By utilizing the electric equipment capabilities of LS and Hyosung, both sides can strengthen cooperation in energy supply chains.

Mobility was also a key agenda item. Hyundai Motor expressed plans to expand cooperation with French companies on building the hydrogen industry ecosystem, as well as in the areas of AI and manufacturing innovation. LG Electronics shared its expectations for greater synergy with France not only in high-efficiency home appliances and heat pumps—key green technologies—but also in mobility and AI fields.

In the consumer goods and biotechnology sectors, discussions were held on expanding existing cooperation into new business areas. In beauty, there was a proposal to jointly develop next-generation beauty products by combining the global brand competitiveness of France's L'Oreal with the product development capabilities of Cosmax.

Celltrion shared its case of acquiring the French healthcare company Gifrer. By combining Korea's biosimilar technologies with France's healthcare industry infrastructure, the company explained it can contribute to the local healthcare market and continue to broaden its business areas.

Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Intellectual Property Office Director Yong-sun Kim attend the Korea-France agreement ceremony held on the 8th (local time) at the Élysée Palace in Paris, France, with President Jae-myung Lee and French President Emmanuel Macron present. 2026.9.8 Yonhap News Agency

After listening to the business leaders' proposals, President Lee emphasized that the areas of potential cooperation between Korea and France are "very broad and diverse." He particularly noted that if the two countries jointly promote large-scale investments and research & development (R&D) in new industrial sectors, it could shorten development timelines and significantly improve the efficiency of investments compared to working individually.

He also expressed his intention not to limit the scope of cooperation to advanced industries alone. President Lee stressed that culture and the arts have tremendous potential to grow as new industries, and that combining the strengths of both countries in these areas could create new markets and business opportunities together.

President Lee further remarked that, in addition to business-to-business cooperation, there is a need to deepen collaboration through intergovernmental joint R&D and other efforts. He stated his expectation that substantive cooperation—including R&D—will be further expanded at the government level between the two nations.

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