Johannesburg: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed his hope to elevate the bilateral relationship with France to a "strategic partnership" and deepen cooperation in culture, security, technologies, and other fields during a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in South Africa on Saturday. Their meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg followed their encounter during the Group of Seven summit in Canada in June, as the two nations prepare to celebrate the 140th anniversary next year of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee expressed his appreciation for France's deployment of troops to support South Korea when North Korea invaded the South during the 1950-53 Korean War while noting the French Revolution had a sizable effect on the development of South Korea's democracy. Macron said that France hopes to expand cooperation in a wide range of areas, including security and emerging technologies, such as quantum, artificial intelligence, space, and nuclear and renewable energy.

He also thanked South Korea for its "clear commitment" regarding issues related to Ukraine and other matters that are important to France. During the talks, Lee invited Macron to visit South Korea next year to mark the 140th anniversary of the bilateral relationship. In turn, Macron said that it would be "a great opportunity to prepare the visit," adding that he was "excited" about traveling to Korea.