2026 Republic of Korea (ROK)–G7 cooperation forum

– , Berlin time (CEST, UTC+2)
Venue: Maison de la Chimie, 28 rue Saint-Dominique, Paris, France

The G7 and its close partners, particularly the Republic of Korea (ROK), face a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape marked by growing economic competition, technological fragmentation, and mounting security challenges. From supply chain vulnerabilities to shifting alliances and rising geopolitical tensions, these developments are testing the resilience of existing frameworks for international cooperation.

Against this backdrop, the forum, kindly supported by the Korea Foundation, convened senior policymakers, business leaders, and experts to explore how advanced economies can better align their approaches across key areas including economic security, emerging technologies, defence cooperation, and the green transition. It provided a platform for candid, action-oriented dialogue on how to strengthen coordination, reduce critical dependencies, and build more resilient and inclusive partnerships.

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Agenda

09:30 – 09:45 | Coffee reception

09:45 – 09:50 | Opening remarks
Dr. Célia Belin, Head, ECFR Paris
Amb. Guido SONG, President, Korea Foundation

09:50 – 10:00 | Congratulatory Remarks
S.E.M. Hyuk-woon KWON, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in France

10:00 – 10:10 | Keynote: The future of G7–ROK cooperation in a fragmented world
Anne Rulliat, Deputy Director, North-East Asia, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

10:10 – 11:10 | Economic security in practice: coordinating the G7 and partners to secure critical value chains

Moderator
Agathe Demarais, Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)

Speakers

  • Dr. Chul CHUNG, Chief Research Officer, The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI); President, Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI)
  • Tristan Dufes, Deputy Director for Strategic Sectors, Economic Diplomacy Directorate, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
  • Dr. Meredith Lilly, Professor and Simon Reisman Chair, Carleton University

11:10 – 11:30 | Coffee break

11:30 – 12:30 | AI, innovation and global partnerships: towards accessible and trusted digital ecosystems

Moderator
Dr. Julien Nocetti, Advisor on Digital, Cyber and Technological Affairs at the Center for Analysis, Forecasting and Strategy (CAPS), French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Speakers

  • Dr. Jungmi CHA, Director, Foreign Policy and Security Strategy Division, National Assembly Futures Institute
  • Dr. Eleni Diamanti, Research Director, French National Centre for Scientific Research
  • Martin Hullin, Director, Network for Technological Resilience & Sovereignty, Program Europe’s Future, Bertelsmann Stiftung

12:30 – 13:45 | Standing lunch and networking

13:45 – 14:45 | Security and defence cooperation amid geopolitical crises

Moderator
Andrew Small, Director, Asia Programme, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)

Speakers

  • Jae Young KIM, Executive Vice President, Hanwha Aerospace
  • S.E.M. Dana Purcarescu, Ambassador for the Indo-Pacific, French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
  • Dr. Eric J. Ballbach, Korea Foundation Fellow, German Institute for International and Security Affairs
  • Dr. Nicu Popescu, Co-director, European Security Programme & Distinguished Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)

14:45 – 15:00 | Coffee break

15:00 – 16:00 | Aligning industrial policy, climate and development for a more effective and solidarity-based international system

Moderator
Dr. Céline Kauffmann, Chief Programmes Officer, IDDRI

Speakers

  • Prof. Jae-Seung LEE, Professor, Korea University
  • Martin Kessler, Executive Director, Finance for Development Lab
  • Stéphane Voisin, Head of Sustainable Finance Research & PARC Foundation, Institut
    Louis Bachelier

16:00 – 16:10 | Closing Remarks
Dr. Célia Belin, Head, ECFR Paris