French president to visit Seoul for summit next month

by Lee Hugh Posted : March 13, 2026, 11:21Updated : March 13, 2026, 11:24
French President Emmanuel Macron chairs a video conference of G7 leaders to discuss the fallout of the war in Iran on the world economy at the Elysee Palace in Paris France on March 11 2026 AFP-Yonhap
French President Emmanuel Macron chairs a video conference of G7 leaders to discuss the fallout of the war in Iran on the world economy at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France on March 11, 2026. AFP-Yonhap
SEOUL, March 13 (AJP) - French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Seoul next month, Cheong Wa Dae said on Friday.

In a written press briefing, presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said Macron will arrive in Seoul on April 2 for a summit with President Lee Jae Myung.

The visit will mark his first trip to South Korea since his inauguration in 2017 as the youngest president in French history and also the first by a French president in about 11 years.

After a formal welcoming ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae, the two leaders are scheduled to hold a summit the next day, followed by a state luncheon and other events.

Their talks are expected to cover a broad range of areas including cooperation in trade and investment, as well as in advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, space, and nuclear energy.

Global issues including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that began with U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran, are also expected to be on the agenda.

As South Korea's third-largest trading partner in Europe, France also draws more than 800,000 South Korean tourists each year.

Kang said Macron's visit, which coincides with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, would serve as an "important milestone" in building bilateral trust, and expressed hope that it would strengthen joint efforts toward sustainable global growth.
 
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum WEF meeting in Davos Switzerland on Jan 22 2026 Reuters-Yonhap
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 22, 2026. Reuters-Yonhap
Meanwhile, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will also make a state visit to South Korea later this month. Subianto is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on March 31 and hold a summit with Lee the following day.

It will be their second meeting since last November, when the two met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju.