Key Points

The delegation, led by former Justice Minister Kang Kum-sil, met with Emmanuel Bonne, a diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, and delivered a personal letter from Lee conveying his message on strengthening bilateral relations, the ministry said in a release.

Kang expressed the Lee government's strong commitment to deepening the comprehensive partnership between the two countries, especially as Seoul and Paris are set to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year, Yonhap news agency reported.

The delegation outlined Lee's vision of pursuing foreign policy based on pragmatism, and his government's commitment to firmly responding to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, while seeking to reopen inter-Korean dialogue by reducing military tension and taking steps to build trust.

To this end, South Korea hopes to continue working closely with France, a country that has shown consistent support for South Korea's peace policy, the delegation told the French side.

The delegation also highlighted efforts to advance substantive cooperation with France in a range of fields, including strategic industries, such as space, defence, nuclear energy and artificial intelligence, as well as addressing shared global challenges like climate change.

Bonne, in turn, expressed hope for the two countries to explore opportunities to elevate their bilateral relations under the Lee government, noting the importance of maintaining close communication with South Korea to promote stability and security.

Bonne also reaffirmed France's strong solidarity and support for South Korea's Korean Peninsula policy, according to the ministry.

The delegation met separately with Loic Herve, vice president of the French Senate, and Sabrina Sebaihi, chair of the France-Korea parliamentary friendship group, for discussions on ways to expand parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.

The delegation also met with member companies of the France-Korea Business Council and discussed efforts to strengthen bilateral trade and investment.

- IANS