Elysee announces elevation to global strategic partnership - Speech Brief
3 April 2026 00:00 UTC · Elysee · Elysee Statement · Source · Email X Link

Elysee announces elevation to global strategic partnership

Key points

  • Elevate bilateral ties to global strategic partnership
  • Prioritize defence, economic, innovation and climate cooperation

TL;DR

  • Elysee says President Emmanuel MACRON and President LEE Jae Myung agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a "global strategic partnership" on the 140th anniversary and during Macron’s 2–3 April 2026 visit.
  • They will deepen political, defence and security cooperation, including renewing the Agreement on the exchange of classified information in defence and planning a PEGASE air mission stopover in autumn 2026.
  • They will strengthen economic and innovation ties via full implementation of the EU–Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement, cooperation on critical minerals, AI, semiconductors and quantum technologies, and coordinated decarbonization including nuclear and renewables.
  • They will deepen multilateral cooperation on ocean protection, climate change, biodiversity and health, referencing the Nice UN Ocean conference, the BBNJ agreement entry into force, and Korea hosting the Fourth UN Ocean Conference in 2028.
Original text

Se fondant sur l’ancienneté des relations diplomatiques établies en 1886, réaffirmées en 2004 dans le cadre d’un partenariat global pour le XXIe siècle, le Président de la République française, M. Emmanuel MACRON, et le Président de la République de Corée, M. LEE Jae Myung, sont convenus d’élever le niveau de la relation bilatérale à un « partenariat stratégique global », à l’occasion du 140e anniversaire de l’établi...

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