President Lee Jae-myung on the 3rd met with French President Emmanuel Macron and signed 11 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and letters of intent centered on strengthening the nuclear fuel supply chain. With supply chain risks rising due to the Middle East situation, the two countries also agreed to cooperate on nuclear fuel as well as in alternative energy such as offshore wind power, and in core mineral mining and research.
After holding a summit with President Macron at Cheong Wa Dae that day, President Lee announced a joint statement containing these details. Macron's state visit to Korea was arranged to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, and it is the first time a French president has visited Korea since 2015. This is the third meeting between President Lee and President Macron. At Macron's invitation, President Lee will also attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Evian, France, in June.
Through a joint press statement, the two leaders said, "President Macron and I agreed to share policy experience and strategies to jointly respond to the economic and energy crises caused by the Middle East war, and to work together to resolve global economic uncertainties," adding, "We will expand cooperation in nuclear power and offshore wind to strengthen energy security."
They also said they confirmed their willingness to cooperate to secure a safe maritime transport route in the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, President Donald Trump, citing the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz due to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, asked seven countries including Korea and France to send warships to join a tanker escort operation. It was reported that the two countries exchanged views during the talks that day on the outlook for the war situation and response measures.
◇ KHNP to cooperate on supply chain with nuclear fuel company Orano
According to Cheong Wa Dae, on the occasion of President Macron's visit to Korea, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with Orano, the world's largest nuclear fuel cycle corporations. The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation on the nuclear fuel supply chain to secure a stable fuel procurement base and reinforce the foundation for cooperation in the global nuclear power market.
KHNP also signed an MOU on cooperation in the offshore wind sector with the PS Asia head of Électricité de France (EDF). The agreement sets out cooperation related to the joint development of the Yeonggwang Haema offshore wind power project, which Cheong Wa Dae said is expected to contribute to revitalizing alternative energy generation.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs also signed a letter of intent on cooperation for the core mineral supply chain. It covers cooperation in geological surveys, core mineral supply chains, sustainable mining, and workforce training. The aim is to create complementary effects by combining Korea's experience in manufacturing permanent magnets and operating strategic reserves with France's refining technology and infrastructure.
The Ministry of Science and ICT signed a letter of intent on cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and quantum with the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space. It calls for expanding joint research, personnel exchanges, and industry cooperation in key strategic fields such as AI, semiconductors, and quantum. In addition, they signed a letter of intent centered on implementing a language assistant teacher exchange program, and a memorandum of understanding to operate a program linking major heritage assets.