South Korea, France agree to deepen defense cooperation amid Middle East conflict

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday they planned to boost defense cooperation and work together to address the economic and energy crises triggered by the war in Iran. Macron arrived in South Korea on Thursday for a two-day state visit after also visiting Japan, and held a summit in Seoul on Friday. It is the first state visit by a French president since 2015 and French officials have said the trip aims to strengthen France's strategic and economic role in the region at a time of "strong international and regional tensions." "President Macron and I agreed to share policy-related experiences and strategies in order to jointly address the economic and energy crises triggered by the Middle East war," Lee said after the summit. The leaders also confirmed their commitment to bolstering energy security, including by collaborating to secure safe maritime transport routes through the Strait of Hormuz, he said. Like other Asian economies, South Korea relies heavily on energy imports, including through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has effectively shut down the waterway in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli attacks that began on February 28, driving up energy prices and stoking fears of a global recession. Macron ‌said on Thursday that it would be unrealistic to launch a military operation to force open the strait, after U.S. President Donald Trump challenged U.S. allies to work towards reopening it. Defense ties Macron said after Friday's summit that the countries, both major arms manufacturers, would strive to boost their defense ties. "What we want to do is give this cooperation a contemporary dimension," Macron said, citing joint exercises and more cooperation in production and in critical military capabilities. "On both sides, we want to equip ourselves with greater strategic depth in military production." Lee also said the countries will further expand cooperation in security fields such as aerospace and defense. South Korea a...