President Lee conferred France's highest decoration for promoting bilateral ties
Summary
Korean President Lee Jae Myung received France’s highest state decoration from President Emmanuel Macron in Paris during a state dinner on Tuesday night. Macron awarded Lee the Grand Cross, the highest rank of the Legion of Honour, for improving Korea-France friendship. Lee also called for broader cooperation in nuclear energy, AI, semiconductors and culture during his France visit, which marks 140 years of diplomatic ties.
Key Facts
- The state dinner was attended by first lady Kim Hea Kyung and more than 10 Korean business leaders, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon.
- Lee said he had become a copain, or friend, with Macron through his ongoing trip to France and expressed hope for an everlasting friendship.
- Lee gave Macron a jade-green celadon-decorated gayageum and French-language editions of novels by Nobel Prize-winning Korean writer Han Kang.
- Lee was visiting France from Sunday to Wednesday, and the previous day he held a summit with Macron in which they agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in advanced industries and other areas.
French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and his wife Brigitte Macron, second from right, welcome Korean President Lee Jae Myung, left, and the First Lady Kim Hea Kyung for a State dinner at the Elysee Presidential Palace, Paris, Tuesday (local time). EPA-Yonhap
PARIS — Korean President Lee Jae Myung was awarded the highest state decoration by French President Emmanuel Macron in recognition of his contribution to bilateral ties, a presidential spokesperson has said.
Macron conferred the Grand Cross, the highest rank of the Legion of Honour order of merit, on Lee during a state dinner he hosted for the visiting Korean president Tuesday night, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said.
It was in recognition of Lee's contributions to improving Korea-France friendship and was an expression of the highest honor, Kang said.
The dinner banquet was attended by Lee, first lady Kim Hea Kyung and more than 10 Korean business leaders, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon.
During the gathering, Lee said he had become a "copain," or a friend, with Macron through his ongoing trip to France, expressing hope for an everlasting friendship.
The Korean president also called for expanding bilateral cooperation in nuclear energy, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, culture and other areas based on the friendship and solidarity built over the past 140 years of diplomatic ties.
Lee gifted Macron a jade-green celadon-decorated "gayageum," a traditional Korean string instrument, along with French-language editions of novels by Nobel Prize-winning Korean write Han Kang, the spokesperson said.
Lee is visiting France from Sunday to Wednesday, which included a summit with President Macron the previous day, during which they agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in advanced industries and others.
This year marks the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
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