S. Korea, France pledge close cooperation on Hormuz, global supply chains

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday pledged close cooperation to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and stabilize global supply chains during their summit in Paris.

Macron characterized a prospective joint effort as a "peaceful" multinational mission while Seoul stated the discussions centered on contribution options rather than an immediate troop deployment. Both leaders also signed multiple pacts covering defense intelligence cooperation, advanced technologies and future industrial partnerships.