French President Emmanuel Macron, on a state visit to Korea, said on the 3rd that "France's investment in Korea is five times larger than the other way around," adding, "I want Korean corporations to come [to France] in greater numbers."
Macron made the remarks in a closing address at the 3rd Korea-France Business Dialogue on the Future (KFBDF) held the afternoon of the 3rd at the FKI Tower in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. The event was co-hosted by The Federation of Korean Industries and the French business federation.
Macron said, "I also wonder if this issue stems from perceptions of France," adding, "We have worked to make France a better place to invest by simplifying rules and easing market entry."
He went on to stress that "in every sector we have accelerated industrialization and shown that we can speed up innovation with 'Made in Europe,' as a substitute for China and the United States."
Macron also said, "We respect the international order and international law, and we do not impose the same tariff as the United States," adding, "Unlike the United States, we also have the advantage of offering predictable and stable trust."
Touching on the importance of technology, he proposed expanding economic cooperation by leveraging the fact that France and Korea share commonalities in culture and already engage in substantial cooperation in the cultural field.
The event was held to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and France. More than 300 attendees, including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, corporations and government figures from both countries, took part. This is Macron's first visit to Korea since taking office in 2017 and the first visit by a French president in 11 years.
From the Korean side, attendees included Prime Minister Kim; Ryu Jin, chairman of The Federation of Korean Industries; Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics; Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; and Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of Naver, among figures from politics and business.
From the French side, more than 70 members of the visiting economic delegation attended, including Clara Chappaz, Minister for AI and Digital Affairs; Roland Lescure, Minister of the Economy and Finance; and CEOs of leading French corporations such as Air Liquide, Sanofi, Quandela, Pasqal, and BNP Paribas.
The event also featured discussions on ways to expand industrial cooperation between Korea and France, focusing on three future industries: biotech; decarbonization (energy and mobility); and deep tech (AI and quantum).
In addition, 12 MOUs were signed across energy, advanced technology, and biotech, including AI-based solution development between Kakao Healthcare and Sanofi, and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on business cooperation between GS Caltex and Veolia.