한국국제교류재단

What was made clear during the Fifth Korea-France Forum is that ways should be sought to reinforce the channel of dialogue between the two countries. While attaching importance to the Korea-France Forum as a useful venue for dialogue and exchange, the participants reaffirmed the importance of this forum for deepening mutual understanding as well.

When the "2002 Spring Korea-France Cultural Festival," was in full swing in late March, the Fifth Korea-France Forum got under way in Seoul. The forum was presented under joint sponsorship by the Korea Foundation and the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri). The fourth forum had been held in March 2000 in Paris.

The Forum began in 1993 is significant in that it provides an avenue for regular dialogue between the people of Korea and France on a non-governmental basis.

The Korean delegation comprised 25 prominent figures from government, academia, business and cultural circles, while the French delegation included 17 leading French dignitaries. Delegates from both sides held in-depth discussions on wide-ranging issues covering politics, economics and culture. They also explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and deepen relations between the two countries.

Topics on the Table

The first session on March 25, which followed the opening ceremony, featured keynote speeches from Seoul National University Law Professor Sung Nak In and Richard Robert, director of Scan-Research. Their presentations mainly focused on the political systems of Korea and France, as well as the political future of the two countries after presidential elections in both countries. Since Korea and France will both hold presidential elections this year, participants in the session showed a keen interest in the presentations and voiced diverse opinions.

In the morning session on March 26, economic issues surrounding the two countries, including measures for boosting bilateral economic and political cooperation were discussed. Participants argued that Korea? economic woes are no longer limited to a single country as the Korean economy is now powerful enough to impact the entire regional economy. While reviewing economic and political changes in the European Union since its monetary integration, many participants from France asserted that the ultimate goal of the Euro is not to become a 'powerful currency,' but a 'stable one.' The third session dealt with the present and future of bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of politics and economics. Since the Seoul government was preparing to make public the selection of supplier of Korea's next-generation fighter planes, and the French delegation included a person serving as an advisor to the French Defense Ministry, participants exercised caution in their handling of the topic. The French embassy held a news conference nearby while the session took place, elaborating upon the French government's position in regard to its bid for the contract.

The participants also delved into the possibility of expanding cultural exchanges during the fourth session. The aforementioned "2002 Spring Korea-France Cultural Festival?was organized by the two governments to enhance mutual understanding on the occasion of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The event was held in Korea during spring and lasted one month; a month-long Korean festival is scheduled to be held this fall in France.

While most cultural programs have been held in metropolitan areas, these events were and are to be staged nationwide both in Korea and France. The French participants stressed that this was noteworthy given the fact that the French public generally remains indifferent to foreign cultures.

Importance as a Track II Channel

What was made clear during the Fifth Korea-France Forum is that ways should be sought to reinforce the channel of dialogue between the two countries. Koreans involved in matters related to France are mainly those who have stayed in the European country for study. In the past, Koreans used to specialize in mainly humanities courses in France, but nowadays, their studies there have expanded to include such disciplines as economics, business, sociology, political science and engineering. It is hoped that these Koreans would play a bigger role in bilateral relations as the Korea-France Cultural Association, which consisted of Koreans who had previously engaged in advanced studies in France, made a great contribution in launching the Korea-France Forum.

While attaching importance to the Korea-France Forum as a useful venue for dialogue and exchange, the participants reaffirmed the importance of this forum for deepening mutual understanding as well. The two-day session closed with those present hoping that Korean-French relations will be further enhanced in the years ahead.