President Moon Jae-in talks to French President Emmanuel Macron on Jan. 18. (Cheong Wa Dae)

By Min Yea-Ji and Sohn JiAe

President Moon Jae-in held a telephone conversation with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Jan. 18 to talk about ways to develop bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

The leaders discussed cooperative measures to make this year`s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as successful as possible, and also how to deal with inter-Korean issues, including the latest dialogue between North and South Korea. 

“We will work closely with the international community to host the upcoming Games under safe and peaceful circumstances,” said President Moon. “The participation of North Korean athletes, as well as the recent talks with Pyongyang, will hopefully improve the inter-Korean relationship and ease tensions across the Korean Peninsula, which we hope will lead to further dialogue to solve North Korean nuclear weapons problems, as well.” 

In response, President Macron reaffirmed his stance toward fully supporting the Korean government’s policies on the peninsula, saying that, “Our country will continue to play a necessary role in preventing further threats from the North and halting growing tension on the peninsula, as well as in the international process to resolve the nuclear weapons issue.” 

“The French government welcomes the North’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympic Games and hopes that this sporting event will truly be Peace Olympics, for the peninsula and for the world as a whole,” he added. 

President Moon concluded the conversation by saying that France, as the first Winter Olympic host country and as the first country to have hosted both the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, a first in Olympic history, will have great results in PyeongChang, while amicably inviting the French leader to the PyeongChang Games. 

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