Market research • Korean-French Chamber of Commerce • Partner companies
February 25, 2026
At a joint press conference held at the French Embassy in Korea on Wednesday, February 25, David Pierre Jalicon, chairman of the French Chamber of Commerce in Korea and head of Team France Korea, announced the results of the latest survey analyzing France’s economic influence in Korea. Chairman David Pierre Jalicon, representing the French Chamber of Commerce in Korea and Team France Korea, emphasized the long-term commitment of French companies to the Korean market and the central role of the Chamber in supporting this.
This conference, jointly hosted by the French Embassy in Korea, the French Chamber of Commerce in Korea, the French Foreign Trade Advisory Council, and Business France, demonstrated that the partnership between the two countries has evolved beyond simple trade statistics into a close alliance focused on innovation.
Regarding the current regulatory environment, Chairman David-Pierre Jalicon said, “What we urgently need now is to establish a clear institutional framework and provide specific guidance to ensure a smooth transition so that investors do not experience uncertainty.”
The survey covered the entire value chain of the French economy in Korea, from aerospace, advanced manufacturing and renewable energy to the luxury industry and deep tech innovation. According to data from the Korea International Trade Association, France is the world’s third largest investment country in terms of foreign direct investment in Korea, which symbolizes the financial trust of French companies and their long-term settlement in Korea’s core industries.
Julien Herbault, Vice President of the French Chamber of Commerce in Korea, explained the underestimated scale of trade between the two countries as follows. “When measured in terms of added value creation, a significant portion of France’s exports to Korea are transiting through third countries.”
Citing estimates from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, he analyzed that the actual value of France’s exports to Korea is more than 50% higher than official statistics. Additionally, 70% of these exports consist of equipment and intermediate goods essential for domestic production, emphasizing that French companies are at the center of Korea’s major industrial value chains.
Mahlen Marques López, head of the Economic and Trade Department of the French Embassy in Korea, emphasized the solid trust that is the foundation of the partnership and said, “The fact that a total of nine Korean satellites have been launched from French Guiana so far proves the high level of mutual trust between the two countries.” She also added that France is deeply integrated into Korea’s key industries, including nuclear energy, renewable energy, and defense, strengthening its role as a long-term industrial partner.
French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Berto presented the historical significance and future-oriented perspective of the relationship between the two countries in his welcome speech. “With an official visit by a high-ranking official scheduled, this report will look back on the achievements of diplomatic relations between Korea and France over the past 140 years and serve as a stepping stone toward new horizons,” he said. This suggests that economic cooperation between the two countries goes beyond simple business and shares technological complementarity, a global vision, and a comprehensive cooperative relationship.
Presenters also mentioned the social influence French companies have on Korean society beyond investment and trade. French companies are continuing responsible management by creating local jobs, expanding opportunities for youth, and practicing sustainability and gender equality.
As part of this, the French Chamber of Commerce in Korea supports talent training and mutual growth. The ‘French Chamber of Commerce in Korea Career Forum’ will be held in Seoul on May 27th and, for the first time, in Busan on May 29th. This regional expansion reflects the chamber’s will to move away from concentration in the metropolitan area, promote balanced regional development, and connect French and Korean companies and young talent within the national economic ecosystem.
The results of this announcement demonstrate that France’s presence in Korea is diversified, resilient and forward-looking. The Korean-French partnership has now gone beyond a simple trade relationship and has become a solid cooperative relationship that jointly responds to global challenges of innovation, sustainability, and win-win development.
