Lee is set to begin his itinerary by attending the Lumiere Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, an international gathering of film and audiovisual industry leaders, where he and Macron will co-chair discussions on the future of cinema and the global media landscape.
The gathering is expected to bring together about 150 participants from the film, broadcasting and gaming industries, along with policymakers and other cultural figures from around 30 countries.
According to Cheong Wa Dae, it will provide an opportunity to further promote Korean culture in European and global markets, leveraging South Korea's growing cultural influence."
On Tuesday, Lee will travel to Paris for a summit with Macron, which is expected to cover key areas of cooperation between the two countries, followed by a state dinner at the Élysée Palace.
Lee is also scheduled to meet Yaël Braun-Pivet, speaker of France's lower house of parliament, and Mathias Cormann, secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the following day before returning to home.
Lee's trip comes at Macron's invitation following his visit to Seoul in April. The reciprocal visits also coincide with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, offering an opportunity to deepen ties with France not only as a major European country but also as an important partner in culture, technology, trade and international diplomacy.
Ahead of his visit, Lee told French daily Le Monde that South Korea would seek to play a "pacemaker" role in helping resume dialogue between North Korea and the U.S., saying renewed talks could help halt Pyongyang's growing nuclear weapons development.
While admitting that deep mistrust between the two Koreas cannot be overcome overnight, Lee said Seoul would continue working toward peaceful coexistence with North Korea.
The interview also touched on Macron's call for greater cooperation among countries seeking to reduce their reliance on major powers such as the U.S. and China, in what has been described as a "coalition of independent nations."
Lee responded that South Korea has been pursuing practical and open partnerships, while pursuing stronger cooperation with countries that "share common values such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law."
More specifically, he added that South Korea has been working to strengthen its alliance with the U.S. by increasing defense spending and gradually expanding military capabilities. On relations with Japan, he said the two countries could make progress by focusing on shared interests while addressing historical issues and working toward a stable, forward-looking relationship.
AJP Takeaways
- President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Nice on September 6, 2026, beginning a four-day visit to France that will include the Lumiere Summit and a bilateral summit with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
- Lee and Emmanuel Macron will co-chair the Lumiere Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence on September 7, 2026, bringing together about 150 film, broadcasting, gaming and cultural figures from around 30 countries. The summit is expected to support the global expansion of Korean culture and content.
- Lee is also using the France visit to outline South Korea's foreign-policy priorities, including helping restart U.S.-North Korea dialogue, strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance, improving ties with Japan and expanding cooperation with countries that share democratic values.
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