South Korea and France Establish Economic and Trust Alliance

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and French President Emmanuel Macron have established an 'Economic and Trust Alliance' focused on practical cooperation between businesses and mutual trust between leaders. The two leaders strengthened their rapport during a state dinner where they exchanged top honors.

On September 8, Lee and Macron attended a Korea-France business roundtable at the Hôtel de Marigny in Paris. The event featured over 30 business leaders and senior government officials, including Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, Choi Soo-young, CEO of Naver, and Arthur Manceau, co-founder and CEO of MistralAI.

In the field of artificial intelligence (AI), discussions centered on strategic investment cooperation between Samsung Electronics and MistralAI, as well as joint global market strategies between Naver and MistralAI. The aim is to create a new cooperation model in the global AI market, currently dominated by the U.S. and China, by combining France's leading AI capabilities with South Korea's semiconductor and platform strengths.

In the quantum sector, they explored ways to integrate Qunatela's core technology with South Korea's semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and AI infrastructure. LS and Hyosung proposed energy supply chain cooperation linked to France's power grid modernization project, while Hyundai presented collaboration opportunities in hydrogen ecosystems and AI-driven manufacturing innovation.

L'Oréal and Cosmax discussed next-generation beauty innovations by combining their global brand and product development capabilities. Celltrion shared plans to connect South Korea's biosimilar technology with France's healthcare expertise, using the example of its acquisition of French healthcare company Gifre.

President Lee emphasized that joint R&D and large-scale investments in new fields would shorten development timelines and enhance investment efficiency compared to individual efforts. He also highlighted the importance of leveraging each country's strengths in culture and the arts to create new markets and opportunities.

During the state dinner, the two leaders further solidified their personal trust. Macron awarded President Lee the prestigious 'Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor' and presented the 'Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit' to First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, recognizing their contributions to the development of Korea-France relations.

Seventeen figures from the economic and cultural sectors also attended the state dinner, including those who participated in the roundtable, as well as Park Kwang-soo, chairman of the Busan International Film Festival, and Han Sang-jun, chairman of the Korean Film Council. The evening concluded with a solo performance by singer Hwasa, showcasing the allure of Korean culture.

In his dinner speech, President Lee recounted his emotional visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe earlier that day, where he met with French veterans of the Battle of Jipyeongri. He proposed expanding cooperation in AI, semiconductors, quantum technology, nuclear energy, critical minerals, and cultural sectors, based on the friendship and solidarity built over 140 years of diplomatic relations.

President Lee emphasized that through this visit, he feels he has become a true 'copain' or 'friend who shares bread' with President Macron. The relationship between the two countries, elevated to a 'global strategic partnership' in April, has been further solidified through this Paris summit, enhancing business cooperation and personal ties.

During his visit, President Lee also prepared gifts to commemorate the exchanges between the two leaders during Macron's state visit to South Korea in April. He presented Macron with a 'celadon gayageum,' a traditional Korean string instrument made in a smaller size, along with Korean-French editions of works by author Han Kang, including 'The Vegetarian' and 'The Boy Who Came.'

For Brigitte Macron, he gifted a complete collection of Ravel's piano works performed by pianist Cho Seong-jin, along with a mother-of-pearl clutch bag decorated with lacquer and made from layers of hemp.

Chief Spokesperson Kang emphasized that this state visit is expected to further develop Korea-France relations across various fields, including economics and culture, based on the trust and intimacy established between the two leaders.

Meanwhile, President Lee is scheduled to conclude his state visit on September 9 with a meeting with the Speaker of the French National Assembly, a gathering with expatriates, and a meeting with the Secretary-General of the OECD before returning home.