JOHANNESBURG — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed his hope to raise the bilateral relationship with France to a “strategic partnership” and deepen cooperation in tradition, safety, applied sciences and different fields, as he held a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in South Africa on Saturday.
Their assembly on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg adopted their encounter through the Group of Seven summit in Canada in June, as the 2 nations put together to have a good time the a hundred and fortieth anniversary subsequent 12 months of the institution of their diplomatic relations.
“I hope to improve the 2 international locations’ bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership and bolster cooperation throughout numerous fields, together with tradition, the economic system, safety and cutting-edge applied sciences,” he mentioned.
Lee expressed his appreciation for France’s deployment of troops to assist South Korea when North Korea invaded the South through the 1950-53 Korean Conflict, whereas nothing that the French Revolution had a large impact on the event of South Korea’s democracy.
Macron mentioned that France hopes to develop cooperation in a variety of areas, together with safety and rising applied sciences, corresponding to quantum, synthetic intelligence (AI), house, and nuclear and renewable power.
He additionally thanked South Korea for its “clear dedication” concerning points associated to Ukraine and different issues which are essential to France.
Lee expressed South Korea’s need to pursue “mutually complementary” cooperation with France within the protection business and develop collaboration in AI, the house business and tradition, the presidential workplace mentioned in a launch.
Lee additionally voiced hope for nearer cooperation with the European nation as he and Macron mentioned the scenario on the Korean Peninsula and regional points.
In the course of the talks, Lee invited Macron to go to South Korea subsequent 12 months to mark the a hundred and fortieth anniversary of the bilateral relationship. In flip, Macron mentioned that it might be “an amazing alternative to organize the go to,” including that he was “excited” about touring to Korea.
