SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥� French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President agreed Friday to work together to help reopen and ease global economic uncertainties caused by .
Their summit in Seoul came as U.S. President Donald for not supporting the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. was making his first visit to South Korea since taking office in 2017, as part of an Asian tour that already has taken him to Japan.
Macron told Lee at the start of the meeting that the two countries can play a role in helping to stabilize the situation in the Middle East, including Iran鈥檚 chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, which has unleashed shock on global energy markets.
At a joint televised briefing afterward, Macron underscored the need for France and South Korea to cooperate to help reopen the strait and deescalate Middle East animosities, while Lee said the two affirmed 鈥渢heir resolves to cooperate to secure the safe shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz.鈥�
The two leaders did not take questions and did not elaborate on how they would help reopen the strait 鈥� the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the world鈥檚 oil usually passes.
鈥淲e need to clearly define, at the international level, the conditions for a process to ease the crisis and conflict in the Middle East,鈥� Macron said. 鈥淲e need to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened.鈥�
Lee said he and Macron agreed to expand cooperation in technology, energy and other areas. South Korean and French officials also signed agreements to cooperate on nuclear fuel supply chains, jointly invest in an offshore wind project in southern South Korea and to collaborate on critical minerals. South Korea has moved to increase output at its nuclear reactors to mitigate the energy crunch and Lee has also called for a faster transition to renewable energy, saying the war has exposed the country鈥檚 heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports.
Macron鈥檚 Asia trip comes as Trump has ramped up his frustration with allies. In a speech Wednesday, Americans 鈥渄on鈥檛 need鈥� the strait but the countries who do 鈥渕ust grab it and cherish it.鈥�
In an earlier Easter event at the White House, Trump called for his allies in Asia and China to get involved in reopening the waterway.
鈥淟et South Korea, you know, we only have 45,000 soldiers in harm鈥檚 way over there, right next to a nuclear force 鈥� let South Korea do it,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淟et Japan do it. They get 90% of their oil from the strait. Let China do it.鈥�
The United States stations about 28,000 troops in South Korea, not the 45,000 stated by Trump. The U.S. troops鈥� deployment in South Korea is meant to deter potential aggressions from
Macron has said reopening the Strait of Hormuz through a military operation is unrealistic.
South Korean officials have said they are in contact with Washington on the issue and that Seoul isn鈥檛 considering paying Iran transit fees to secure fuel shipments through the strait.
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