SEOUL, April 3 (Yonhap) — South Korean and French businesses on Friday vowed to expand exchanges in emerging areas, including the bio, carbon-free and technology sectors, as the two countries celebrate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026.
Leading cmpanies of the two countries gathered in Seoul for the Korea-France Business Dialogue for Our Future, hosted by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), on the occasion of French President Emmanuel Macron’s first visit to Asia’s No. 4 economy since taking office in 2017.
Macron took part in the event co-hosted with the Movement of the Enterprises of France after holding a summit with President Lee Jae Myung earlier in the day.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and around 300 government and business officials from both countries attended the conference, according to the FKI.
Participants included leaders of South Korea’s major conglomerates, including Samsung Group, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and LG Group. The French delegation included chief executive officers of Air Liquide, Sanofi and Quandela.
During the conference, South Korean and French business officials explored ways to expand cooperation in three major emerging industries, namely biotechnology, carbon-free energy and artificial intelligence (AI).
“France is a key economic partner sharing the value of liberal democracy and has always stood with South Korea,” FKI Chairman Ryu Jin said during the event.
South Korean and French businesses signed 12 different memorandums of understanding during the event, including one between Kakao Healthcare Corp. and Sanofi on developing AI-based solutions.
Ahead of the forum, Macron took part in a tree-planting ceremony on the rooftop of the FKI headquarters in western Seoul, marking the 140th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron make a joint press appearance following their talks at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on April 3, 2026. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(YONHAP NEWS)