South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and French President Emmanuel Macron met at the Blue House in Seoul today (April 3) to discuss strengthening defense cooperation and addressing the economic and energy crisis caused by the Iran conflict.
Macron’s visit to South Korea coincides with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, marking his first visit to Korea since 2015. French officials stated that the purpose of this trip is to enhance France’s strategic and economic role in the region amidst the current “intensifying international and regional tensions.”
Following the meeting, President Lee Jae-myung stated, “President Macron and I have agreed to share policy experiences and strategies in addressing the economic and energy crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict.” The two leaders also confirmed plans to enhance energy security cooperation, including ensuring the safety of maritime transport through the Hormuz Strait.
Like most Asian economies, South Korea heavily relies on energy imports, with a significant portion passing through the Hormuz Strait. Since the U.S. launched strikes against Iran on February 28, Iran has effectively blocked the waterway in retaliation, leading to surging energy prices and heightening concerns about global economic downturn.
Macron noted that forcefully reopening the Hormuz Strait through military actions is not realistic, despite previous calls by U.S. President Trump for allied efforts to restore passage.
After the meeting, Macron emphasized that France and South Korea are both important military industrial countries committed to deepening defense cooperation. He stated, “We aim to make this cooperation meaningful in the contemporary context,” which includes promoting joint military exercises, enhancing production cooperation, and developing key military capabilities.
President Lee Jae-myung also mentioned that apart from expanding cooperation in aerospace and defense sectors, the two countries will sign multiple memoranda of understanding covering key industries such as aerospace, nuclear energy, AI, semiconductors, quantum technology, mining, and wind power.
Lee further highlighted their goal to increase bilateral trade from $15 billion in 2025 to $20 billion by 2030. He stressed that the South Korean state-owned enterprise Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power will sign a memorandum of cooperation with the French companies Orano and Framatome to ensure the fuel supply to Korean nuclear power plants, laying the groundwork for both countries to enter the global nuclear energy market.
As the spillover effects of the conflicts in the Middle East continue to escalate, South Korea and France aim to stabilize energy supply and regional security by enhancing military and economic cooperation, demonstrating a strategic intent to jointly address crises across regions.
In addition to the agreements reached during the summit, the state banquet held during this visit also garnered attention. Renowned Michelin-starred chef Son Jong-won, known for his appearances on Netflix culinary shows “Black White Chef 2” and “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator,” was invited to oversee the state banquet for French President Macron and his wife at the Blue House, adding an unexpected highlight to the summit.