Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
France marks 140 years of ties with Korea at largest-ever Bastille Day in Seoul
French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux delivers his speech at the National Day celebration at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in central Seoul, July 14. Courtesy of French Embassy in Korea
By Anna J. Park
France celebrated its National Day, commonly known as Bastille Day, in Seoul on July 14, with this year's reception carrying added significance as the two countries marked the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
Held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, the reception drew around 1,000 guests, making it the largest French National Day celebration ever hosted by the French Embassy in Korea. The embassy began holding its Bastille Day reception at an external venue last year, after traditionally hosting the event at the ambassador's residence, reflecting the growing scale of bilateral exchanges.
The holiday traces its origins to the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris on July 14, 1789, an event widely regarded as the beginning of the French Revolution. It also commemorates the Fête de la Fédération, held one year later to celebrate national unity following the revolution. July 14 was officially designated as France's national holiday in 1880 and has since been observed with military parades, fireworks and public festivities across the country, most notably the annual parade along the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
This year's celebration also came as France and Korea commemorate 140 years of diplomatic relations, established under the 1886 Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Commerce and Navigation. Throughout the venue, a special anniversary logo and the slogan "Creativity, Opportunity, Solidarity" highlighted the countries' vision for the next chapter of the relationship.
About 1,000 guests attend the National Day celebration hosted by the French Embassy in Korea at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in central Seoul, July 14. Courtesy of French Embassy in Korea
Addressing the gathering, French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux reflected on the significance of the milestone.
"On this 14 July 2026, we are marking not only our national day, but also the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea," he said.
He also described 2026 as "a landmark year" in bilateral relations, highlighting three planned summits between the French and Korean presidents within six months. Bertoux pointed to French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Korea in April, during which the two countries elevated ties to a Global Strategic Partnership and signed letters of intent covering artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technology and critical minerals. He also noted cooperation through the G7 Summit in France in June and an upcoming leaders' meeting in Paris later this year.
Bertoux described the bilateral agenda as exceptionally rich, saying it is firmly rooted in a shared history spanning more than a century. He pointed to "the arrival of the first missionaries, the founding treaty of 4 June 1886, French support for Korean patriots during the occupation, the blood shed by the soldiers of the French United Nations Battalion and our major economic achievements in the nuclear and rail sectors, amongst many others."
Looking ahead, he emphasized that the relationship is increasingly focused on future-oriented cooperation.
"Today, we are shaping the future of our security, our economies and our societies together, following the roadmap set out by our two presidents. And this is fully in line with the agenda for cooperation between the European Union and Korea, which was renewed at the recent EU–Korea Summit on 10 June."
French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux, right, stands next to Korea's Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina at the National Day celebration at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in central Seoul, July 14. Courtesy of French Embassy in Korea
Korea's Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina echoed that message in her congratulatory speech at the event, saying the 140-year relationship represents far more than the passage of time.
"The friendship between our two countries was built on the sacrifice of more than 3,000 young French soldiers who dedicated themselves to Korea's freedom and peace during the Korean War," she said.
She added that France, once a key partner in Korea's industrial development through projects such as nuclear power plants and the KTX high-speed rail system, is now working with Korea under the newly upgraded Global Strategic Partnership to advance future industries.
Kim also highlighted growing people-to-people ties, noting that the number of applicants taking Korean-language proficiency tests in France has more than tripled over the past decade. Invoking the ideals of the French Revolution, she said the principles of "liberty, equality and fraternity" remain universal values that Korea and France should continue to uphold together.
Since March, the anniversary year has featured around 140 cultural, artistic and educational events across Korea. Beyond culture, both governments are expanding cooperation in strategic sectors including AI, space, quantum technology and youth exchanges, aiming to build on more than a century of friendship with an increasingly future-oriented partnership.