President Lee Visits France for Summit with Macron and Film Industry Discussion
Overview of President Lee's State Visit to France
By Heejin Kim
Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron
SEOUL, Sept 4 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will pay a state visit to France from September 6 to 9 for a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron and for a joint discussion on the film industry, Lee's office said on Friday.
Lumiere Summit Details
Lee and Macron will co-chair the one-day Lumiere Summit, scheduled for September 7 in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the presidential office said.
International Participation and Focus
About 150 politicians, policy makers and film industry figures have been invited to the summit, the first international event to address the future of film and video content, according to the French Embassy in Seoul.
The meeting will debate how the film industry should respond to artificial intelligence, compete with social media platforms and cope with funding shortages, the secretary-general of the summit said in a press briefing on Thursday.
Business and Diplomatic Engagements
On September 8, Lee will hold a summit and luncheon with Macron and attend a business roundtable along with executives from about 20 South Korean and French companies, Lee's office said.
Expanding Bilateral Cooperation
South Korea views Lee's trip as an opportunity to expand cooperation with France in security, the economy and human interactions, following an upgrade of bilateral ties to a "strategic partnership" during Macron's visit to Seoul in April, Wi Sung-lac, Lee's national security adviser, told a briefing on Friday.
"We expect this to serve as an opportunity to add fresh momentum to expanding our diplomacy with Europe," Wi said.
Focus Areas for Future Collaboration
South Korea is also seeking to deepen cooperation in areas including AI, aerospace and biotech, he said.
Meetings with French and International Leaders
Before returning to Seoul, Lee will meet on September 9 with Yael Braun-Pivet, the head of the French lower house, and Mathias Cormann, secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
(Reporting by Heejin KimEditing by Ed Davies)
