Lee, Macron agree to strengthen defense, economic cooperation

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Paris to strengthen bilateral cooperation, focusing on defense and economic ties. The leaders agreed to enhance defense collaboration, including military information sharing and logistics support.

During a business roundtable attended by government and corporate officials, Lee highlighted the extensive opportunities for cooperation between the two nations. The discussions specifically targeted joint projects and investments in the artificial intelligence, mobility, energy, and beauty sectors. Notably, potential investment cooperation between Samsung Electronics and France's Mistral AI was discussed, alongside a partnership between Mistral AI and South Korean internet portal Naver to expand into the sovereign AI market.

Lee expressed optimism about the potential for joint research and development, as well as investment in new industries, which he believes could accelerate development timelines and improve investment efficiency. He also suggested that culture and arts could serve as new avenues for collaboration, fostering enhanced cooperation between South Korean and French companies and governments.