Pres. Lee pushes for closer ties with Europe

President Lee Jae-myung, visiting South Africa for the Group of 20 summit, held his first series of bilateral meetings since taking office on Nov. 22, local time, meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

In his meeting with Chancellor Merz, Lee said South Korea has much to learn from Germany’s experience. He added that he hoped to understand how Germany overcame division and achieved reunification, and said South Korea should pursue a similar path. With a smile, he joked that if Germany had any special know-how it had kept hidden, he hoped Merz would share it. His remarks signaled his intent to maintain a policy toward North Korea aimed at eventual reunification, even as Pyongyang promotes a hostile two-state doctrine.

Merz smiled in response and said there was no secret know-how. He added that he closely follows developments on the Korean Peninsula and has many questions about North Korea. He also said he was curious about South Korea’s view of China, as Germany is reviewing its own strategy toward Beijing. Lee did not offer a public response.

According to the presidential office, during the closed-door meeting that followed, Lee outlined South Korea’s efforts to ease tensions and build peace on the Korean Peninsula and sought support from Germany, a country that has experienced division and reunification. The two leaders agreed to strengthen ties in areas of shared interest, including energy and critical minerals.

Earlier in the day, Lee met with President Macron and said France and South Korea share a special relationship. He expressed hope that the talks would help deepen their ties and said he wished to upgrade their relationship to a strategic partnership. He also thanked France for its support during the Korean War, noting that South Korea faced a severe crisis after the North’s invasion. He added that he hoped to strengthen cooperation in culture, the economy, security and advanced technology.

Macron said he believed the two countries could expand cooperation across a wide range of fields, including security, artificial intelligence, space, nuclear power, renewable energy and quantum technology. He also thanked South Korea for maintaining a clear and consistent stance on key issues, including the war in Ukraine.

In the closed-door session that followed, Macron said he hoped the two countries would pursue complementary cooperation in defense and further expand exchanges in artificial intelligence and the space industry, according to the presidential office.

Lee invited Macron to visit South Korea next year to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Macron replied that he would work toward a visit next year.


Kyu-Jin Shin newjin@donga.com