South Korea and France Agree to Secure Shipping Routes in the Strait of Hormuz

Istanbul (ANTARA) - South Korea and France pledged on Friday to jointly ensure safe shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, following a summit between the leaders of the two countries in Seoul. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron met at the presidential palace, as reported by Yonhap News Agency. “President Macron and I agreed to share policy experiences and strategies to jointly address the economic and energy crises triggered by the war in the Middle East. We also agreed to work together to reduce uncertainty in the global economy,” Lee said at a joint press conference after the meeting. “We reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening energy security by expanding cooperation in the nuclear power and offshore wind energy sectors, and working together to ensure safe maritime transport routes through the Strait of Hormuz,” he added. Macron arrived for his first state visit to South Korea since taking office in 2017 and was welcomed with an official ceremony at the presidential palace. South Korea and France also agreed to increase trade and investment, targeting a bilateral trade value of $20 billion per year by 2030, up from $15 billion last year. The two sides signed various agreements to expand cooperation in advanced sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and quantum technology, as well as establishing a ministerial-level science and technology committee. The two countries also deepened cooperation in energy and critical minerals and signed agreements related to nuclear projects and offshore wind energy. In addition, South Korea and France agreed to deepen cooperation in the space, defence, and culture sectors, building collaboration based on a memorandum of understanding between the cultural heritage institutions of both countries. Lee also stated that he had explained to Macron efforts to continue dialogue with Pyongyang, and the two leaders reaffirmed their support for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Source: Anadolu