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| French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort speaks in a video introducing a series of interviews of young French professionals in Korea to commemorate France's National Day which falls on July 14. Screenshot from YouTube |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The French Embassy in Korea is celebrating France's National Day, which falls on July 14, in a new style amid the COVID-19 era.
Organized in collaboration with the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), the embassy is presenting an interview series of French members of the MZ generation ― a Korean umbrella categorization for millennials and those from Generation Z ― living in Korea, shedding light on young French professionals who chose Korea as the place in which to carry out their projects and find personal fulfillment.
Also known as Bastille Day, the day commemorates the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, during the French Revolution, and the Fete de la Federation, which celebrated the unity of the French people on July 14, 1790.
French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort emphasized how young French professionals in Korea bridge the two countries in a speech to open the interview series, Wednesday.
"These young people are the image of this long-term France ― ambitious and enterprising, generous, energetic and curious ― which since the 19th century has bet on political, intellectual, economic and industrial partnerships with Korea. They also resemble the image of the growing number of young Koreans who go to France to live, study and work," Lefort said in the speech delivered in French.
"Our two countries, inextricably united by history and shared interests, will emerge stronger from this health crisis that will come to an end. Global competition is intensifying, but it offers ever more numerous opportunities for cooperation between countries that share the same values of democracy, multilateralism, sovereignty, social progress, protection of the environment and of cultural heritage."
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| French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman David-Pierre Jalicon speaks in a video introducing a series of interviews of young French professionals in Korea to commemorate France's National Day, Bastille Day, on July 14. Screenshot from YouTube |
FKCCI Chairman David-Pierre Jalicon said, "Who better than this new generation of French people choosing Korea as an important stage in their professional and personal life, to reflect the dynamism and the future of our bilateral relations? This is the reason why we have decided to give them the floor throughout this summer so that they can testify about their journey and give us a new perspective on Korea."
Interviews with young French professionals who have chosen Korea as a stage in their professional and personal journeys, will be released each week throughout summer.
"These exchanges will be a unique opportunity to highlight the attractiveness of Korea from the French point of view, as well as the strength of the relationship between the two countries. They could also be a source of inspiration for French people who wish to carry out their projects in Korea," the embassy said in a statement.
Damien Cauvemberg Bouges, Aurore Couque Castelnovo and Romain Diboine are featured in the first interview video released Thursday.
The list of other interviewees include Alexandre Capitini, Anna Ponsolle, Barthelemy Gros, Eva Gerstenlauer, Houssaye Jau, Maelle Colleu, Mathieu Losson, Pape Sy, Pierre Algret, Sandra Meynier Kang, Sonia Chaeib, Soukaina Mezidi and Younes Er Rafiji.
The embassy and the FKCCI are still accepting applications from young talented French people and will carry out additional interviews as suitable profiles arise.
The video series is available on the French Embassy's channel at YouTube.com/FranceenCoree and the FKCCI's channel at YouTube.com/TheFKCCI.
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