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Lee heads to France for state visit, summit with Macron

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Summary

President Lee Jae Myung departed Sunday for a four-day visit to France that includes a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The trip follows Macron’s April visit to South Korea and comes as the two countries mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Lee will also attend the Lumiere Summit in Nice and a business roundtable in Paris. The summit may cover cooperation in nuclear power plants and troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz.


Key Facts

  • Lee will first travel to Nice to attend the Lumiere Summit on the future of cinema in nearby Saint-Paul-de-Vence before his state visit to Paris from Tuesday.
  • In Paris, Lee is scheduled for a one-on-one luncheon with Macron, followed by a summit and a dinner banquet at the Elysee Palace.
  • Lee will also attend a business roundtable involving 20 companies from both countries in Paris.
  • National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said the trip is expected to develop the global strategic partnership forged during Macron’s April visit to South Korea.
  • A presidential official said the upcoming summit may include talks on cooperation in nuclear power plants and troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz.
By Yonhap
  • Published Sep 6, 2026 10:38 am KST
  • Updated Sep 6, 2026 11:53 am KST
President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung move to board the presidential plane bound for France at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, south of Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung move to board the presidential plane bound for France at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, south of Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung departed Sunday for a four-day visit to France that will include a summit meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on ways to enhance cooperation in security, the economy and other areas.

The trip follows Macron's visit to South Korea in April. It also comes as the two countries mark this year the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Lee will first travel to Nice to attend the Lumiere Summit on the future of cinema in nearby Saint-Paul-de-Vence before making a two-day state visit to Paris from Tuesday.

In the French capital, Lee will hold a one-on-one luncheon with Macron, followed by a summit and a dinner banquet hosted by the French president and his wife, Brigitte Macron, at the Elysee Palace.

Lee will also attend a business roundtable involving 20 companies from both countries in Paris.

The trip is expected to flesh out the "global strategic partnership" forged between the two countries during Macron's April visit to South Korea that seeks to enhance the countries' bilateral cooperation in major sectors, such as security, the economy and people-to-people exchanges, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said earlier.

The upcoming Lee-Macron summit may also include discussions on cooperation in nuclear power plants and troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, a presidential official has noted.

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