President Moon Jae-in (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands after arriving at Élysée Palace in Paris on Oct. 15.

President Moon Jae-in (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands after arriving at Élysée Palace in Paris on Oct. 15.

By Yoon Sojung 
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

In the summit with French President Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace in Paris on Oct. 15, President Moon told the French leader, “We must encourage North Korea’s denuclearization by easing U.N. sanctions at least when and if we believe the denuclearization of the North Korean nuclear program reaches a point of no return.”

President Moon said, “Chairman Kim Jong Un said he is willing to not only halt their nuclear and missile tests and dismantle its production facilities, but also dismantle all nuclear weapons and nuclear materials it currently possesses if the U.S. takes corresponding measures.”

President Moon called on his French counterpart, as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, to play a leading role in this regard.

At the joint press conference after the summit, President Macron said, “The North Korean nuclear issue has entered a new stage under the driving force of President Moon.”

“We expect the North can show its will to cooperate for the process of the denuclearization and the dismantlement of its missile program,” said the French leader.

He also added the U.N. Security Council’s sanctions will be necessary until then.

“France believes a complete, irreversible and verifiable process of denuclearization is possible,” he said.

“When the process begins, France will support it with all of our professional capability so that it can be accelerated within the international framework, and we will play a role as a partner,” he added.

President Moon Jae-in (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron hold a joint press conference after the summit meeting at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Oct. 15.

President Moon Jae-in (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron hold a joint press conference after the summit meeting at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Oct. 15.

In the joint declaration signed at the summit, the two leaders agreed to advance the “Korea-France comprehensive partnership for the 21st century,” which was forged in 2004, to a higher level. They also agreed to work together to widen trade and investment, and expand cooperation in science and technology, new industries, small and medium-sized firms, and start-up ventures in order to produce new growth engines to respond to the fourth industrial revolution.

Regarding cooperation in new industries, both leaders highly valued how the Korea-France New Industries Technology Cooperation Forum, which was established in 2014, contributed to vitalizing industrial technology cooperation among the two countries. The two countries decided to host the forum in Korea in 2019.

Regarding the EU’s announcement of provisional safeguard duties on Korean steel imports, President Moon said, “Most of the Korean steel products exported to the European Union are being supplied to automobile or home appliance factories, which Korea invested in, and that contribute to boosting productivity and employment in the local economy.”

President Moon urged the European Union to exclude Korean steel imports even if it has to inevitably take final safeguard measures.

President Moon hailed the growing popularity of Korean language and Korean studies in France, thanks to the recent Korean culture boom or Hallyu in the country. In the joint declaration, the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in language by recommending Korean language education as an elective subject in the Baccalaureate, the academic qualification exam for university entrance in France, and by encouraging French language education in the Korean education system.

The Korean and French leaders also agreed to closely work together to jointly respond to global issues such as climate change. President Moon praised the leadership of France in climate change and environmental issues by helping the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, and hoped to bolster cooperation between the two countries in responding to climate change issues.

President Moon Jae-in (center) pays respect at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Oct. 15.

President Moon Jae-in (center) pays respect at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Oct. 15.

 

President Moon Jae-in leaves the Arc de Triomphe in Paris after the official welcoming ceremony on Oct. 15.

President Moon Jae-in leaves the Arc de Triomphe in Paris after the official welcoming ceremony on Oct. 15.

 

President Moon Jae-in heads to the Élysée Palace for the Korea-France summit after the official welcoming ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Oct. 15.

President Moon Jae-in heads to the Élysée Palace for the Korea-France summit after the official welcoming ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Oct. 15.

arete@korea.kr