By Rachel Lee
President Park Geun-hye received an honorary doctorate from University Pierre and Marie Curie, a prestigious French university, for her contributions in improving bilateral ties, Friday.
The French university, also known as University of Paris VI, is a leading research institution founded in 1971 that encompasses all major sciences including chemistry, physics, electronics and computer science.
This is the first time that the French university conferred an honorary degree on a foreign head of state. Park arrived in Paris, Wednesday, on a four-day tour.
“University of Paris VI awarded a doctorate to President Park for her visions and accomplishments in developing new growth engines through creative economy and cultural prosperity,” said Kim Kyou-hyun, senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs. Creative economy and cultural prosperity are two of Park’s policy buzz words.
The president, who read electronic engineering at Sogang University in Seoul, studied at the University Grenoble Alpes in Grenoble, southeastern France, for about six months in 1974.
The award ceremony took place at the Paris-Sorbonne University, Friday.
President Park’s trip to France came as the two nations mark the 130th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties this year.
Park is set to meet with French President, Francois Hollande, Friday, to boost further economic ties, cooperation in sanctions against North Korea and discuss international issues, including climate change. This is the fourth meeting between the two leaders.
This the first state visit to France by a South Korean president in 16 years.