ISTANBUL
South Korea and France on Friday vowed to jointly secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz as the leaders of the two countries held a summit in Seoul, according to local media.
President Lee Jae Myung and his visiting French counterpart Emmanuel Macron met at the presidential palace, Yonhap News reported.
"President Macron and I agreed to share policy-related experiences and strategies in order to jointly address the economic and energy crises triggered by the Middle East war. We also concurred on working together to reduce uncertainty in the global economy," Lee said during a joint press conference after the meeting.
"We confirmed our commitment to bolstering energy security by expanding our cooperation in the nuclear and offshore wind power sectors while collaborating to secure safe maritime transport routes through the Strait of Hormuz," he added.
Macron arrived for his first state visit to South Korea since taking office in 2017 and was welcomed with an official ceremony at the presidential palace.
South Korea and France agreed to boost trade and investment, setting a target of $20 billion in annual bilateral trade by 2030, up from $15 billion last year.
The two sides signed multiple agreements to expand cooperation in advanced sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and quantum technology, while also launching a ministerial-level science and technology committee.
They also deepened collaboration in energy and critical minerals, with companies including Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Orano, Framatome and EDF signing agreements on nuclear and offshore wind projects.
South Korea and France agreed to deepen cooperation in space, defense, and cultural sectors, building on a memorandum of understanding between their cultural heritage agencies.
Lee also said he briefed Macron on efforts to resume dialogue with Pyongyang, with both leaders reaffirming support for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.