President Lee to Hold South Korea–France Summit with Macron on April 3 During State Visit

According to The Financial News, President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea will hold a summit at Cheong Wa Dae, also known as the Blue House, next month with French President Emmanuel Macron, who will pay a state visit to South Korea.
Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong of Cheong Wa Dae announced this in a written briefing on the 12th.
Emmanuel Macron will be the first European leader to make a state visit to South Korea since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration. It will also be his first visit to South Korea since taking office in 2017, and the first visit by a French president in 11 years.
On the morning of April 3, President Lee Jae-myung and President Macron will attend an official welcome ceremony, hold summit talks, witness the signing of treaties and memorandums of understanding, and join a state luncheon. During the summit, the two leaders plan to discuss ways to elevate bilateral ties to a more strategic level by strengthening cooperation in a wide range of areas, including trade and investment; advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, space, and nuclear power; science and technology; education and culture; and people-to-people exchanges.
They are also expected to hold in-depth discussions on regional developments on the Korean Peninsula and beyond, as well as responses to global issues, in cooperation with France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
France is South Korea’s third-largest trading partner within the European Union (EU) and a leading destination for South Korean travelers, with more than 800,000 visiting each year. It is widely regarded as a global center of culture, arts, gastronomy, and philosophy. France is also an innovation powerhouse in Europe, driving future strategic industries such as space and aviation, AI and quantum technologies, and decarbonized energy. This year marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and France, and both countries have planned a variety of cultural events throughout the year, Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong noted.
Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong stressed, "President Macron’s visit to South Korea will serve as an important milestone in advancing our bilateral relationship—built on 140 years of trust—into a more strategic and future-oriented partnership." She added, "It is also expected to provide an opportunity to strengthen our joint efforts to contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth and prosperity in the international community."

Before Macron’s visit, President Lee Jae-myung will hold a summit on April 1 with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who will also be in South Korea on a state visit. At Lee’s invitation, Prabowo will visit South Korea from March 31 to April 2.
Prabowo’s trip comes about five months after he last visited South Korea in October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, during which he held a bilateral summit with President Lee Jae-myung.
On April 1, the two leaders will attend an official welcome ceremony, hold summit talks, witness the signing of memorandums of understanding, and share a state luncheon. They plan to discuss a broad range of ways to deepen practical cooperation in order to further advance the special strategic partnership between South Korea and Indonesia, including upgrading collaboration in trade, investment, defense, and the defense industry, as well as expanding cooperation in new growth sectors such as advanced technologies including AI, infrastructure, shipbuilding, nuclear power, energy transition, and cultural and creative industries.
They also plan to hold in-depth discussions with Indonesia—South Korea’s key partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the world’s largest Muslim-majority country—on strengthening South Korea–ASEAN relations, as well as on regional developments and global issues concerning the Middle East, the Korean Peninsula, and other key regions.
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun and Sung Seok-woo Reporter