S. Korea, France Sign Defense Pacts, Mark 140-Year Alliance

(MENAFN) South Korea and France signed a series of agreements Tuesday expanding cooperation across defense, the defense industry, and military information security, as the two nations mark 140 years of diplomatic ties.

"In order to jointly respond to uncertainties facing the international order, (we) agreed to make tangible progress in cooperation on defense and security," South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said at a joint news conference in Paris alongside French President Emmanuel Macron following their bilateral summit, according to a South Korean news agency.

Lee is in the French capital for a two-day visit timed to the 140th anniversary of relations between the two countries. Among the agreements signed was an upgrade to a military secret information protection pact first reached during the leaders' April summit in Seoul, designed to deepen intelligence-sharing between the two governments.

Lee said the two sides also committed to finalizing, in the near term, a separate agreement on mutual military logistics support to further strengthen defense collaboration. He added that both countries agreed to pursue joint ventures pairing French technological know-how with South Korean manufacturing strength.

The two nations also set a target of lifting annual bilateral trade to $20 billion by 2030 through closer economic and industrial ties, Lee said.

"I will closely communicate with (Macron) to help companies from both countries operate in a more predictable environment and find more opportunities in each other's market," he added.

Lee said the countries agreed to broaden cooperation in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and nuclear energy into commercial and industrial applications, including joint research initiatives spanning AI, semiconductors, and quantum technology. Samsung Electronics Co. had earlier disclosed a partnership with French AI startup Mistral AI aimed at strengthening its chip operations.

The two sides additionally pledged collaboration on next-generation nuclear reactors, supply-chain diversification, and civilian nuclear energy.

Macron, for his part, welcomed the raft of signed agreements, noting, "2026 is a major year for Franco-Korean relations as we celebrate 140 years of friendship between our two countries." He praised the partnership as one rooted in shared values and mutual interest.

"We also share a belief in democracy, human rights and the rule of law. We share a commitment to respecting international law and to free and fair trade," he said.

Macron reaffirmed that both nations see eye to eye on the need to defend their respective sovereignty and strategic autonomy "at a time of global realignment and upheaval."

"Together, we have common actions to pursue for a peaceful Indo-Pacific," he added.

He further stressed that expanded cooperation in defense, security, technology, and energy would help both nations avoid "becoming vassals of any major power."

"The Republic of Korea can count on France's consistent support for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," he said.

The two leaders also touched on broader global security concerns, including the Strait of Hormuz and the war in Russia and Ukraine, Macron said. Both leaders emphasized a shared commitment to defending freedom of navigation in a peaceful framework and said they would continue coordinating on proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

"In any case, the prospect of a strictly peaceful multinational mission, once an agreement is reached, continues to be the subject of intensive work," Macron said.

MENAFN09092026000045017169ID1111639825