Yoon Wraps Up Expo Bid in Paris... Moves to Vietnam

Handled Summit and BIE Presentation
Focused on Economic Diplomacy through State Visit to Vietnam

President Yoon Suk-yeol departed for Vietnam on the 21st (local time) after completing activities to promote the Busan Expo bid and a summit meeting with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, France. President Yoon will visit Vietnam as a state guest and hold a summit with State President Vo Van Thuong.

President Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon-hee, departed in the afternoon on the presidential aircraft, Air Force One, through Orly Airport. President Yoon was seen off by Choi Jae-cheol, Ambassador to France, and his spouse; Ahn Il-hwan, Ambassador to the OECD, and his spouse; and Park Sang-mi, Ambassador to UNESCO.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee, having completed their visit to France, waved their hands in greeting at Paris Orly Airport on the 21st (local time) before boarding Air Force One, their private plane, heading to Vietnam.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Arriving in France on the 19th, President Yoon held a Korea-France summit with President Macron at the ?lys?e Palace in Paris on the 20th. The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in advanced technology and future strategic industries amid a world facing uncertainty and complex crises. They specifically emphasized the importance of cooperation in future strategic industries such as space and aviation. Additionally, they discussed strengthening cooperation in areas including energy, batteries, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, nuclear power, space, defense, and aviation.

Following this, President Yoon personally delivered a presentation at the General Assembly of the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE). He stressed Busan's strengths and distinctiveness as the host city for the Expo and attended the BIE reception on the 21st to appeal for support. Furthermore, President Yoon participated in the Paris Digital Vision Forum and the European regional investment inauguration ceremony.

In Vietnam, President Yoon is scheduled to hold a Korea-Vietnam summit with State President Vo Van Thuong to discuss ways to expand and develop bilateral relations, which have been elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership. He will also hold individual meetings with Vietnam's top leadership, including Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party and the highest-ranking official. The official state visit schedule includes a state banquet. Accompanying President Yoon on this visit is an economic delegation of 205 members, the largest since the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, including heads of the five major conglomerates.

Before his visit to Vietnam, President Yoon gave a written interview to the local state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA), stating, "It is important for the two countries not to be complacent with past achievements but to develop more substantively in step with the rapidly changing domestic and international environment." He added, "We will strengthen security cooperation with Vietnam to firmly establish a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region." Marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations last year, the two countries upgraded their relationship to a 'comprehensive strategic partnership,' reflecting the judgment that a future-oriented relationship must be established.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.