South Korea and France sign agreements on military secrets, aviation and advanced technologies

South Korea and France signed nine agreements during President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to France, including a revised protocol on protecting military classified information and a revised aviation agreement.

The two governments also signed six memorandums of understanding covering cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and quantum technology, as well as one private investment agreement. The agreements were concluded after Lee held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the local date of the 8th.

The revised military information protocol adds France’s director-general responsible for defense and national security affairs to the relevant security authorities. It also reflects changes to France’s classification system and adds language limiting access to strengthen the protection of military secrets.

The South Korean government said the protocol would reinforce the stability and reliability of military-information exchanges between the two countries. It also described the changes as an institutional foundation for expanding defense and defense-industry cooperation.

The revised aviation protocol focuses on modernizing aviation cooperation, including fair competition, stronger security and safety standards, and environmental protection and sustainable development.

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We supplemented the institutional foundation needed to strengthen the stability and reliability of military-information exchanges between the two countries and expand defense and defense-industry cooperation.