President Lee Jae Myung 'Arrives in France,' Begins State Visit Schedule... From K-Content to Nuclear Power
- Input
- 2026-09-07 01:00:00
- Updated
- 2026-09-07 01:00:00
President Lee arrived at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport in France on this day. This marks his second visit to France since taking office and his first state visit, following his attendance at the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Evian-les-Bains last June. This visit was arranged at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, who made a state visit to Korea last April, and completes the reciprocal state visits between the leaders of the two countries after five months.
President Lee will attend the Lumière Summit, held in Saint-Paul-de-Vence in southern France on the 7th, as co-chair alongside President Macron. At the event, the two leaders are scheduled to discuss cooperation measures to respond to changes in the global film and video industry. It is expected to serve as an opportunity to expand opportunities for companies from both countries to enter global markets and engage in joint ventures by linking the global spread of K-content with France's film industry infrastructure.
Starting on the 8th, President Lee will travel to the capital, Paris, to hold a private luncheon and an expanded summit with President Macron at the Élysée Palace and discuss ways to concretize the Korea-France "Global Strategic Partnership," which was upgraded last April. During the summit, they will explore joint research and development (R&D), corporate cooperation, and mutual market entry strategies in future industries such as AI, space, nuclear power, and biotechnology. Cooperation in the nuclear power sector is also a particular focus.
Security cooperation to respond to the rapidly changing international situation is also a major agenda item for the summit. In particular, discussions regarding the deployment of troops to the Strait of Hormuz are expected to take place during the summit between President Lee and President Macron.
Economic cooperation will also be expanded. President Lee will attend the Korea-France Business Roundtable, attended by about 20 companies from both countries, to support private investment and inter-company cooperation. In the evening, he will attend a state dinner hosted by President Macron and his wife at the Élysée Palace. On the final day, the 9th, he will meet with Yaël Braun-Pivet, Speaker of the French National Assembly, hold a luncheon with Korean expatriates, and meet with Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
President Lee emphasized from France that he would continue to monitor the search and rescue efforts for the nine South Korean citizens missing due to the flood disaster in Nepal. Through X (formerly Twitter), President Lee stated, "The search and rescue for the nine South Korean citizens missing due to the flood disaster in Nepal is still ongoing. It is truly heartbreaking and heavy-hearted to think of the families who are anxiously awaiting news." He added, "The Minister of Foreign Affairs has also visited Nepal first to personally assess the situation on the ground. I, too, will continue to receive updates on the situation while I stay in France and ensure that necessary measures are taken." He further remarked, "Although it is a heavy step, I will fulfill my diplomatic duties for the national interest and future generations without wavering."
[email protected] Seong Seok-woo, Choi Jong-geun Reporter