M. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, welcomed Mr Cho Tae-yul, his South Korean counterpart, to Paris on 7 March 2025 for the fifth France-South Korea strategic dialogue.
The strategic dialogue made it possible to take a detailed look at the major international crises and situations. They talked about the recent developments in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Korean peninsula. They reaffirmed their support for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. The Minister assured his counterpart of France's wholehearted solidarity with South Korea in the face of North Korea.
The Ministers noted that both the strategic environment in which our two countries operate has rapidly become tougher and that our security is interconnected. They decided to redouble efforts to protect our democracies and uphold the international order based on the principles, values and institutions of the United Nations. The Minister welcomed the vitality of South Korean democracy and the importance for France of continuing to develop its strategic cooperation with South Korea, especially as regards innovation.
Against a background of major geopolitical instability, the ministers agreed that every dimension of the partnership between France and South Korea should be strengthened. Given the double threat of Russia and North Korea, they reaffirmed their determination to strengthen our defence and security cooperation, our technological cooperation (space, AI, quantum, civil nuclear) and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
As regards the climate and biodiversity protection, the Minister reaffirmed the desire for increased cooperation with South Korea to prepare the major international meetings, inter alia the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, in Nice in June 2025, and the forthcoming climate negotiations.