French foreign minister reaffirms commitment to security in Indo-Pacific

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna speaks during a reception aboard French frigate Prairial, docked in Incheon, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo

France opens new embassy building in Seoul

By Kwon Mee-yoo

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna emphasized France's commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific region during her visit to Korea.

"We are determined to deepen our commitment to preserving peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region as part of our Indo-Pacific strategy adopted in 2018 in collaboration with our strategic partners," Colonna said during a reception on board French frigate Prairial, docked at Incheon Port, Saturday.

The frigate arrived in Korea after transiting through the Taiwan Strait amid heightened tensions in the area due to China's military drills there. However, Colonna noted that the frigate's passage through the waters was charted on the surveillance frigate's route before China's drills or French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to China.

"The journey traveled by Prairial and its missions are a perfect illustration of (France's Indo-Pacific strategy). It began with a mission to combat illegal fishing for the Pacific Islands Forum. It conducted operations alongside the Philippine Coast Guard and the navy of our strategic partner, Vietnam. Next, it held a training course for the Royal Cambodian Navy, before reaching South Korea via the Taiwan Strait, through which it transited a few days ago, in line with the law of the sea," she said.

French frigate Prairial navigates Korea's western waters near the port of Incheon, Thursday. The frigate visited Korea on its surveillance mission in the Indo-Pacific, including the French territories of New Caledonia and Polynesia. Yonhap

On Friday, Colonna met with Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and held the fourth South Korea-France strategic dialogue with her South Korean counterpart Park Jin.

She said President Macron wanted to visit South Korea, but wasn't able due to schedule conflicts.

"President Yoon invited President Macron and he is eager to come to Korea to strengthen our ties, so there will be a presidential visit later this year or next year," Colonna said.

The minister also visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) aboard a French helicopter Saturday morning to show solidarity with South Korea against North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear threats.

She reaffirmed the French government's support for South Korea, saying it "will not compromise on the imperative of complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea."

"We will continue to rally our diplomatic and military assets, such as the frigate Prairial, to ensure that Security Council resolutions, which apply to all, are respected," Colonna added.

She also highlighted various cooperation projects between France and Korea, including in the fields of security, economy, industry and technology.

"We want to further encourage Korean investment in France by promoting projects in areas such as batteries and also to welcome additional French investments. This would facilitate a lot of areas of cooperation for the future," she said.

South Korea's first lady Kim Keon Hee, center, takes a look around France's new embassy building during its opening ceremony, Saturday. Courtesy of presidential office

New embassy building design combines Korean, French elements

Later that day, Colonna attended a ceremony commemorating the opening of France's new embassy building in central Seoul.

The building, designed by Cho Min-suk of Mass Studies and Yoon Tae-hoon of Sathy, carries on the legacy of the original embassy edifice, designed by the late Korean architect Kim Chung-up in the 1960s.

Kim, the only South Korean who worked in renowned French architect Le Corbusier's atelier, integrated traditional Korean elements with French sophistication in the embassy's design. The building's distinguishing feature was its curved roof, which embodies a distinct Korean structural influence and is considered one of the masterpieces of modern Korean architecture.

Minister Colonna described the roof as "light as air and full of boldness."

Cho and Yoon restored Kim's design close to its original state, which has now been renamed the Kim Chung-up Pavilion in honor of the architect. They also designed additional buildings to serve as the embassy's workplace.

South Korea's first lady Kim Keon Hee, second from left, and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, second from right, cut the tape during a ceremony celebrating the opening of France's new embassy building in central Seoul, Saturday. From left are French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort, Kim, Colonna and South Korean Patriots and Veterans Affairs Minister Park Min-shik. Yonhap

"Restored to its original design, it is sure to become one of the icons of Seoul and the embassy will be open and accessible to the people of Seoul," Colonna said.

"This is what today's diplomacy demands as well: Diplomacy that is open to the world, attentive to civil society, is respectful of its host country, is based on concern and is understanding of the other and seeks dialogue and the debate of ideas between cultures."

South Korea's first lady Kim Keon Hee also attended the event to celebrate the countries' bilateral relations.

Kim, who was an exhibition organizer before her husband became president, shared a personal connection with the embassy as she had introduced French artists to Korea in the past. Kim said the embassy building has a special place in her heart as she organized the Le Corbusier exhibit in Seoul back in 2016.

"I think that (the French Embassy) is a perfect combination of Korean spirit and French charm, resulting in ultimate beauty," Kim said.