South Korea and France Deepen Defense and Energy Ties at Seoul Summit

President Lee Jae Myung and Macron agreed at a Seoul summit to boost defense cooperation including joint exercises and complementary arms production. Preliminary agreements cover critical minerals, semiconductors, quantum technologies, nuclear energy, and wind power. Both set a bilateral trade target of $20 billion by 2030 (up from $15 billion in 2025). The summit, Macron's first state visit to South Korea in over a decade, reflects mutual hedging against the Hormuz-driven energy crisis and broader US unilateralism.