President Lee Jae Myung Calls for Expanded Korea-France R&D and Investment: “Working Together Can Shorten Development Timelines”

【Financial News, Paris (France) = Reporter Seok-woo Sung】On the 8th (local time), President Lee Jae Myung met with Korean and French business leaders and called for expanded joint research and development (R&D) and investment in future strategic industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, mobility, energy and biotechnology.
Kang Yoo-jung, senior presidential secretary and spokesperson, said in a written briefing that President Lee attended the Korea-France Business Roundtable and discussed practical cooperation measures with leading companies from both countries amid the era of advanced technological revolution and global supply chain restructuring.
The event was jointly organized by The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and the French business association MEDEF to coincide with President Lee’s state visit to France. About 30 people, including leading business executives and senior government officials, attended in the presence of the leaders of both countries.
In the AI sector, participants discussed pursuing strategic investment cooperation between Samsung Electronics and French AI startup Mistral AI. NAVER and Mistral AI explored ways to enter global markets together based on a partnership aimed at targeting the sovereign AI market.
In the quantum sector, participants discussed a cooperation model combining the foundational technology of French quantum-computing company Quandela with South Korea’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, including semiconductors, and AI infrastructure. In the energy sector, they discussed supply chain cooperation that would leverage the advanced power equipment capabilities of LS Group and Hyosung Group in connection with France’s modernization of its power grid.
Hyundai Motor Company said it would expand cooperation with French companies in the hydrogen industry ecosystem, AI and manufacturing innovation. LG Electronics expressed expectations that cooperation could also broaden in mobility and AI, as well as in eco-friendly technologies such as high-efficiency home appliances and heat pumps.
In the beauty sector, participants shared plans to combine L'Oréal’s global brand capabilities with Cosmax’s product development expertise. In biotechnology, they discussed combining South Korea’s biosimilar technology with France’s healthcare capabilities, drawing on Celltrion’s acquisition of French healthcare company Gifrer.
After hearing the business leaders’ views, President Lee said, "If the two countries jointly pursue R&D and large-scale investment in new fields, we could shorten development timelines and improve investment efficiency compared with pursuing them separately."
He also emphasized that culture and the arts, in addition to advanced industries, have significant potential to grow into new industries, saying that the two countries could combine their strengths to create new markets and opportunities together.
President Lee said he hoped practical cooperation between the two governments, including R&D, would expand further alongside cooperation between companies.
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