Lee, Macron agree to work together to ensure safe passage through Strait of Hormuz
Published: 03 Apr. 2026, 18:37
Updated: 03 Apr. 2026, 19:47
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- SARAH KIM
- [email protected]
![President Lee Jae Myung, center right, and first lady Kim Hea Kyung, left, toast with France’s President Emmanuel Macron, center left, and first lady Brigitte Macron, right, at the state luncheon at the Yeongbingwan state guesthouse at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/03/224e6c63-f04d-435a-976d-c98c5a6be66d.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, center right, and first lady Kim Hea Kyung, left, toast with France’s President Emmanuel Macron, center left, and first lady Brigitte Macron, right, at the state luncheon at the Yeongbingwan state guesthouse at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed at their bilateral summit on Friday to work together to ensure the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid economic uncertainties stemming from the war in the Middle East, and to increase nuclear energy cooperation.
"President Macron and I agreed to share policy-related experiences and strategies to jointly address the economic and energy crises triggered by the war in the Middle East," Lee said at a joint press conference with Macron at the Blue House in central Seoul after their bilateral summit. The two leaders said they agreed to work together to reduce uncertainty in the global economy against the backdrop of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which has disrupted oil supplies.
"We confirmed our commitment to bolstering energy security by expanding our cooperation in the nuclear and offshore wind power sectors, while collaborating to secure safe maritime transport routes through the Strait of Hormuz," Lee added.
Lee announced that building on Korea and France's "longstanding friendship and solidarity," the two countries agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a "global strategic partnership," upgraded from the "comprehensive partnership for the 21st century" established in 2004.
![President Lee Jae Myung, right, and French President Emmanuel Macron, left, greet children during the welcome ceremony ahead of their bilateral summit at the Blue House in Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/03/03341e8f-e492-49fb-b30d-5ede313f92e0.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, right, and French President Emmanuel Macron, left, greet children during the welcome ceremony ahead of their bilateral summit at the Blue House in Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
On Friday morning, Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung greeted the French presidential couple in a welcome ceremony at the Blue House, complete with an honor guard and military band. Lee and Macron then headed into summit talks, a signing ceremony for memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and a state luncheon.
During the summit, Lee wore a tricolor tie symbolizing the French flag of blue, white and red.
On the occasion of the visit, the two sides signed a series of MOUs and other agreements across sectors, including advanced technologies, nuclear energy and cultural exchanges.
In the joint press statement, Lee noted that last year, bilateral trade between Korea and France reached a record high of $15 billion and that the two sides will work together to achieve a $20 billion trade milestone by 2030. He added that he greatly appreciates France's Air Liquide's $3.5 billion investment in Korea last year.
Lee said they expect the number of jobs created by businesses investing in one another's country could increase from the current 40,000 to 80,000 over the next decade.
The two sides further agreed to grow an environment conducive to joint growth in advanced science and future industries, enabling the two countries to rise together as leading innovators.
![President Lee Jae Myung, right, shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of their bilateral summit at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/03/b9045af9-f876-46fc-8e06-9825d5e4d9a5.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, right, shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of their bilateral summit at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
MOUs were also signed between state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and French companies Orano and Framatome to ensure a stable supply of nuclear fuel and lay the foundation for their joint entry into the global nuclear energy market.
The MOU between the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and the state-run Électricité de France (EDF) is expected to significantly contribute to the growth of the offshore wind power industry in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla.
The two sides also signed a letter of intent on cooperation in the field of critical minerals and metals, establishing a foundation for the stable development of the critical minerals industry.
Korea and France plan to "expand mutually complementary cooperation in the future security domain, including aerospace and defense," Lee said.
The two sides signed an MOU on cooperation in the field of cultural heritage, providing an opportunity to promote global awareness of Korea's Jongmyo Shrine, France's St. Denis Basilica and other national heritage properties.
Their working holiday program will be amended, while an air services agreement nears conclusion, to allow more vibrant exchanges among tourists, businesspeople and students from the two countries, with Seoul and Paris aiming to open an "era of 1 million people-to-people exchanges."
A protocol amending the Korea–France agreement on cultural and technological cooperation is expected to further expand bilateral collaboration into new areas such as esports.
Introducing the MOUs adopted by the two governments, Lee emphasized that they would "promote joint growth in future industrial sectors."
During the summit, Macron extended an invitation to Lee to attend the Group of 7, or G7, Summit, to be held in June in France's Évian.
![President Lee Jae Myung, right, and French President Emmanuel Macron speak at a joint press conference on the results of their summit at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/03/9f3aa268-3a5b-4d55-baa9-be6f163e9f85.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, right, and French President Emmanuel Macron speak at a joint press conference on the results of their summit at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
In his luncheon remarks, President Lee recalled that France dispatched around 3,000 troops during the 1950-53 Korean War and noted that Korea's Hanul Units 1 and 2 nuclear power plants were built based on French technology, as were Korea's high-speed KTX trains.
Referring to the upgrading of bilateral ties to a global strategic partnership, Lee said, "I hope that the history of trust and cooperation built by both countries over the past 140 years can serve as the key to open the door to a brighter future."
During his toast, Macron said, "Hello," in Korean, earning applause from attendees.
Macron quoted Korean author Han Kang's Nobel Prize acceptance speech, referring to the "gold thread connecting between our hearts" to describe the 140th anniversary of bilateral relations dating back to Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation of 1886.
During his speech, Macron recalled French-born missionary Rene Marie Albert Dupont, who carried out pastoral work in rural Korea, including President Lee's hometown Andong, North Gyeongsang, from 1969 until his death in April last year.
![Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left, and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung chat at the state luncheon at the Yeongbingwan state guesthouse at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/03/108e29c3-956d-41bb-9b81-b9dbc3e6e3b0.jpg)
Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left, and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung chat at the state luncheon at the Yeongbingwan state guesthouse at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
![Actor Jun Ji-hyun, left, and K-pop boy band Stray Kids member Felix, honorary ambassadors for Korea-France relations, speak at the state luncheon at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/03/13581a85-5fad-4746-82b3-34418d51a17c.jpg)
Actor Jun Ji-hyun, left, and K-pop boy band Stray Kids member Felix, honorary ambassadors for Korea-France relations, speak at the state luncheon at the Blue House in central Seoul on April 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Lee Boo-jin, CEO of Hotel Shilla, which prepared the luncheon menu, also attended, as well as executives from Korea's nuclear power and aerospace sectors, including Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, LIG Nex1 and Korea Aerospace Industries.
From the French side, guests included Nicolas Maes, CEO of Orano, the French state-owned nuclear power company that signed an MOU with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power on nuclear fuel technology cooperation; Grégoire Ponchon, CEO of Framatome, a nuclear power plant supplier; and François Jackow, CEO of Air Liquide, a leading industrial gas company, which invested approximately $3.5 billion in Korea last year.
As Macron and his wife entered the luncheon venue, they greeted the members of K-pop boy band Stray Kids, the honorary ambassadors for the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France. They also shook hands with actor Jun Ji-hyun, another honorary ambassador.
BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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