On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron attended the 3rd Korea-France Economic Future Dialogue at the KFI Tower in Seoul’s Yeouido district. He remarked that France offers greater predictability than the United States, drawing applause from the audience.
Macron emphasized that if major global powers repeatedly make missteps and create uncertainty for other countries, it can become a serious issue, stressing that trust is essential in business and that France can offer both stability and reliability.
He called for increased investment in France, highlighting ongoing collaborations between Korea and France across diverse sectors, including agri-food, artificial intelligence (AI), computing, and luxury goods.
Macron pointed to France’s business-friendly environment, noting that the country has been ranked as Europe’s most attractive investment destination for six consecutive years and that since 2017, the government has streamlined regulations and reformed tax and labor laws to improve competitiveness.
He underscored partnerships with Korean giants like Samsung and Hyundai, mentioning potential collaborations in green hydrogen with Hyundai and semiconductors with Samsung.
Macron added that Europe is working to simplify regulations to ease market entry and said challenges related to U.S. tax policies and China could be addressed through a “Made in Europe strategy.
The event, organized by the Korea Economic Association, marked Macron’s state visit to Korea. He is the first European leader to visit since President Lee Jae Myung took office, and the first French president to visit in 11 years. Over 300 political and business leaders from both nations attended, including Prime Minister Han Duck Soo and Korea Economic Association Chairman Ryu Jin.
Attendees from the Korean business community included Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae Yong, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui Sun, GS Caltex Vice Chairman Huh Se Hong, Samyang Holdings Chairman Kim Yoon, Naver CEO Choi Soo Yeon, and Sangmi Holdings Vice Chairman Huh Jin Soo, who discussed ways to expand economic cooperation with French counterparts.
Other key figures present were Samsung Electronics President Kim Won Kyung, Samsung’s Mobile Experience Division Head and COO Choi Won Jun, Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Jang Jae Hoon, Hyundai Motors President Sung Kim, and Kakao Healthcare Head Cho Yong Hyun.
Korea Economic Association Chairman Ryu Jin said that France has long been a key economic partner, sharing liberal democratic values with Korea. It noted that both sides are seeking stronger government support to ensure their partnership delivers tangible results, particularly in future industries.