President Lee and Macron Hold State Luncheon: Why Victor Hugo and Han Kang’s “Golden Thread” Were Mentioned [Korea–France Summit]

[The Financial News] President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea held a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is visiting Korea on a state visit, and the two leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a "Global Strategic Partnership." Building on the summit, President Lee and Macron revised three agreements and signed 11 Memoranda of Understanding (MOU). Korea and France decided to strengthen cooperation across a wide range of areas, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), the semiconductor industry, critical minerals, nuclear power plant projects, offshore wind power generation, space, defense, and cultural exchanges. They also discussed the situation in the Middle East and agreed to work together to secure safe maritime transport routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
After the summit and their joint press statement, President Lee and Macron continued their schedule with a state luncheon at the Yeongbingwan State Guest House. At the luncheon, President Lee said, "France is a long-standing friend and partner of the Republic of Korea. The War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, which you visited yesterday, is a place that shows the deep historical bonds between our two countries," adding, "During the Korean War, France dispatched more than 3,000 soldiers and fought alongside us for the freedom and democracy of the Republic of Korea. Thanks to the dedicated contribution of the French forces, the United Nations Command (UNC) was able to prevail and protect the territory and people of our nation."
He went on to say, "France was also an important supporter in Korea’s industrialization process. In the 1980s, Haneul Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 were built based on French technology," and added, "Because we had access to France’s technological capabilities, Korea’s industrial sites could operate vibrantly around the clock, and this laid the foundation for our rapid economic growth."
President Lee continued, "In 1994, the Korea Train eXpress (KTX) high-speed rail system, built using French TGV technology, brought about a groundbreaking change by connecting Korea into a one-day living sphere," and noted, "Institut Pasteur Korea, established in 2004, is a meaningful outcome of our bilateral cooperation that has driven the development of life sciences in Korea and our rise as a bio powerhouse." As he spoke, Macron nodded in agreement.


In particular, President Lee said, "The great French writer Victor Hugo said that the future is a door and the past is the key. In Korea, we have a similar saying, On-go-ji-sin, which means opening a new future through the wisdom of the past," and added, "I hope that the 140 years of trust and cooperation that our two countries have built will serve as the key that can, and will, open the door to an even brighter future."
Macron responded in Korean by saying, "Annyeonghasimnikka, yeoreobun" (Hello, everyone) to President Lee. When Macron then raised his glass at the podium and proposed a toast in Korean, saying "Wihayeo" (Cheers), the room burst into laughter and the atmosphere became even more convivial.
Macron said, "I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for your warm hospitality. In her Nobel Prize in Literature acceptance speech in 2024, Han Kang spoke of 'the golden thread that joins our hearts' and used that as a metaphor for language and emotion," adding, "In the same spirit as your earlier reference to Victor Hugo, I would like to borrow Han Kang’s metaphor of the golden thread that joins our hearts to describe the 140 years of friendship between our two countries." He continued, "This golden thread has also been a path connecting our two countries’ businesses. Thanks to this corporate golden thread, we have achieved many successes over the past decades, and it has created a network of solidarity that has advanced Korea–France cooperation in energy, the mobility industry, the semiconductor industry, cargo ship construction, and many other fields," and added, "Leaders in innovation sectors such as AI, the field of Quantum Studies, the semiconductor industry, and space are all here today, and I hope to work with you to deepen cooperation and go even further in all of these areas."
He also expressed a strong will to expand cultural exchanges. Macron said, "This September, we will host a Film and Video Summit in France. On this occasion, President Lee, who is paying a state visit, and I will serve as co-chairs on behalf of Korea and France," and added, "We will pursue even more cooperation and exchanges in film, K-drama, and related fields."
Meanwhile, many business leaders attended the state luncheon. From the business community, participants included Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics; Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Sohn Kyung Shik, chairman of CJ Group and head of the Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF); Jin Roy Ryu, chairman of Poongsan and head of The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI); and Lee Boo-jin, president and CEO of Hotel Shilla.

cjk@fnnews.com Reporter Choi Jong-geun Reporter