Macron Travels to South Korea After Japan Visit: Strengthening Global Partnerships
TOKYO — French President Emmanuel Macron left Japan on Thursday bound for South Korea, a fellow US ally, following a visit that included a roadmap on critical minerals and defense cooperation. He held further talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and, alongside his wife Brigitte, met the imperial couple before departing.
The trip comes against a backdrop of transatlantic tension. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump called France “very unhelpful” over the Iran war. The next day, he mocked Macron, mimicking his accent and saying his wife “treats him extremely badly.” Macron appeared to respond on Wednesday by praising Europe’s “predictability” while in Japan, contrasting it with those that “could hurt you without even informing you” — an apparent nod to the United States.
Trump also criticized South Korea on the same day, urging countries dependent on the Strait of Hormuz to help reopen the key oil route. “Let South Korea, who was not helpful to us, by the way. You know, we only have 45,000 soldiers in harm’s way over there, right next to a nuclear force. Let South Korea do it,” Trump said, referring to North Korea. The United States has around 28,500 troops in South Korea.
In an opinion piece published Thursday in Le Figaro, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for stronger cooperation with France, particularly in areas such as nuclear energy, hydrogen technologies, and space. “In an increasingly fragmented and uncertain international environment, partnerships between democratic nations that share common values are no longer merely desirable but are becoming strategically essential,” Lee wrote.
South Korea, like other Asian economies, relies heavily on energy imports through the Strait of Hormuz, whose effective closure has driven up energy prices. The war has already prompted Seoul to impose a fuel price cap — the first such measure since 1997.
Macron’s two-day itinerary in South Korea includes a summit with Lee, a visit to the war memorial to honor French soldiers who fought in the Korean War, an economic forum, and a dinner with K-pop stars and filmmakers.
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