Korean president announces initiative to invest $581 mil. in cinema with France

Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, an initiative to invest 500 million euros in cinema with France. He said Korea and France will each invest 500 million euros over five years starting next year to support cinema and moving-image industries. Lee said the plan aims to expand joint investment, production projects and overseas opportunities for local content companies. He also highlighted AI, independent films and the Lumiere Declaration as part of broader industry cooperation.

Lee unveiled the initiative in his speech to the Lumiere Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, which he co-chaired with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Under the proposal, Korea and France will each invest 500 million euros in the cinema and moving-image industries over a five-year period beginning next year.

Lee said the initiative will help promote joint investments and production projects and serve as a stepping stone for local content companies to enter the global market.

The summit gathered policymakers, politicians and artists from 30 countries to discuss the future of cinema and beyond.

Participants adopted the Lumiere Declaration and pledged to work together to promote the cultural and economic growth of the video industry.

Published Sep 7, 2026 8:46 pm KST

Korean President Lee Jae-myung, left, and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands at the Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, where the Lumière Summit, an international film and video summit, is held, Monday (local time). Yonhap

Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday unveiled an initiative to invest 500 million euros ($581 million) in a partnership with France to promote the growth of the cinema industry, a move also aimed at boosting the countries' bilateral cooperation in the sector.

Lee disclosed the initiative in his speech to the Lumiere Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, which he co-chaired alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, to discuss the future of the cinema industry amid unfavorable global changes affecting the sector.

Under the initiative, proposed by Korea and seconded by France, the two countries will each invest 500 million euros in the cinema and moving-image industries over a five-year period beginning next year.

Lee said the initiative will help promote joint investments and production projects between the two countries, and serve as a stepping stone for local content companies to enter the global market.

Lee cited changes in the media environment and consumer preferences following the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), as major factors that have led to an upheaval in the production and consumption of films.

"If we do not properly address the changes of the times, it is clearly a crisis. But if we proactively respond, it presents a clear opportunity," Lee said, calling on cinema industry leaders to make efforts to turn the crisis into an opportunity.

Lee highlighted, in particular, that AI technology has helped reduce the costs of film production, but has also led to job losses in the cinema industry and raised copyright concerns, pledging that Seoul will play a role in promoting the harmonious coexistence of AI and humanity.

The president also underscored the role of independent films in promoting the diversity of the industry, vowing that Korea "will become a solid partner for independent films and join efforts to promote the growth of the global cinema ecosystem."

The Korean president highlighted cinema as a main driver of his country's growing global influence, citing the recent success of Korean films, such as "Parasite," "Burning" and "KPop Demon Hunters."

"Overcoming national boundaries and language barriers, Korea will play its responsible role in leading the production of local content that humanity could sympathize with, and helping establish coexistence and mutual support between local and global (content companies) as the primary principle," Lee said.

President Lee Jae Myung, fifth from left, and French President Emmanuel Macron, sixth from left, pose with participants at the opening ceremony of the Lumiere Summit at the Maeght Foundation in St.-Paul-de-Vence, France, Monday (local time). Korea and France are co-chairs of this year’s summit. Yonhap

The summit brought together policymakers, politicians and artists involved in the cinema and game industries from 30 countries to discuss the future of cinema and beyond.

Lee will later hold a meeting with Korean producers and actors invited to the summit, including film director Lee Chang-dong, followed by a roundtable with major entertainment powerhouses, including CJ ENM and Netflix, to promote cooperation between Korean and global companies.

In a separate speech, Macron also highlighted the rapid changes in the way moving images are produced and consumed, including shifts in the economic models that have funded the production of such content and the rise of AI, which has raised questions about the trustworthiness of images.

Macron said, "It is not our responsibility to block such changes, but we should guide their direction."

The French president highlighted the cultural importance of images, particularly in helping people understand the world and promoting growth and democracy.

He said that no country can shape the future for the industry alone, calling for global responses to the challenges facing the industry.

In the "Lumiere Declaration" adopted at the summit, participants pledged to work together to promote the cultural and economic growth of the video industry.

They agreed on the importance of addressing shared challenges through cooperation and recognized the important roles that countries, companies and content creators can play in such efforts, pledging to pursue joint efforts.

韩国总统李在明在法国圣保罗德旺斯宣布了一项与法国共同投资5亿欧元发展电影产业的倡议。他表示，韩国和法国将从明年开始，在未来五年内各自投资5亿欧元，以支持两国的电影和影像产业发展。李在明指出，该计划旨在扩大双方的联合投资、制作项目，并为韩国本土内容公司创造更多海外发展机会。他还强调，人工智能、独立电影以及《卢米埃尔宣言》也是双方更广泛产业合作的重要组成部分。

李在圣保罗德旺斯举行的卢米埃尔峰会上发表讲话，宣布了这项倡议。他与法国总统埃马纽埃尔·马克龙共同主持了此次峰会。

根据该提案，韩国和法国将从明年开始的五年内分别向电影和动态影像产业投资 5 亿欧元。

李表示，这项举措将有助于促进联合投资和生产项目，并为本土内容公司进入全球市场提供跳板。

此次峰会汇聚了来自 30 个国家的政策制定者、政治家和艺术家，共同探讨电影的未来及其他领域。

与会者通过了《卢米埃尔宣言》，并承诺共同努力促进视频产业的文化和经济增长。

发布于2026年9月7日晚上8:46（韩国标准时间）

韩国总统李在明（左）和法国总统埃马纽埃尔·马克龙周一（当地时间）在法国圣保罗德旺斯的梅格基金会握手，卢米埃尔峰会（Lumière Summit）——一项国际电影和视频峰会——正在这里举行。（韩联社）

韩国总统李在明周一公布了一项与法国合作投资 5 亿欧元（5.81 亿美元）的计划，旨在促进韩国电影产业的发展，此举也旨在加强两国在该领域的双边合作。

李安在法国圣保罗德旺斯举行的卢米埃尔峰会上发表讲话，透露了这项计划。他与法国总统埃马纽埃尔·马克龙共同主持了此次峰会，讨论在全球不利变化影响电影行业的情况下，电影行业的未来。

根据韩国提出、法国附议的这项倡议，两国将从明年开始的五年内，各自向电影和动态影像产业投资 5 亿欧元。

李表示，该倡议将有助于促进两国之间的联合投资和生产项目，并成为本土内容公司进入全球市场的跳板。

李认为，新冠疫情后媒体环境和消费者偏好的变化，以及人工智能的出现，是导致电影制作和消费发生剧变的主要因素。

李说：“如果我们不妥善应对时代的变化，这显然是一场危机。但如果我们积极应对，这便是一个明显的机遇。”他呼吁电影行业领袖努力将危机转化为机遇。

李特别强调，人工智能技术虽然降低了电影制作成本，但也导致了电影行业的失业和版权问题，他承诺首尔将在促进人工智能与人类和谐共存方面发挥作用。

总统还强调了独立电影在促进电影产业多样性方面的作用，并承诺韩国“将成为独立电影的坚实伙伴，共同努力促进全球电影生态系统的发展”。

韩国总统强调电影是韩国日益增长的全球影响力的主要驱动力，并列举了韩国电影近期取得的成功，例如《寄生虫》、《燃烧》和《K-Pop恶魔猎人》。

李表示：“韩国将克服国界和语言障碍，发挥其应有的责任，引领制作能够引起人类共鸣的本土内容，并将帮助建立本土与全球（内容公司）之间的共存与互助作为首要原则。”

韩国总统李在明（左五）和法国总统马克龙（左六）于周一（当地时间）在法国圣保罗德旺斯梅格基金会举行的卢米埃尔峰会开幕式上与参会者合影。韩国和法国是今年峰会的共同主席国。（韩联社）

此次峰会汇聚了来自 30 个国家的电影和游戏行业的政策制定者、政治家和艺术家，共同探讨电影的未来及其他领域。

李随后将与受邀参加峰会的韩国制片人和演员举行会议，其中包括电影导演李沧东，之后还将与包括 CJ ENM 和 Netflix 在内的主要娱乐巨头举行圆桌会议，以促进韩国公司与全球公司之间的合作。

在另一次讲话中，马克龙还强调了动态影像制作和消费方式的快速变化，包括为这类内容制作提供资金的经济模式的转变以及人工智能的兴起，这引发了人们对图像可信度的质疑。

马克龙表示：“我们没有责任阻止这些变革，但我们应该引导它们的方向。”

法国总统强调了图像的文化重要性，尤其是在帮助人们了解世界、促进经济增长和民主方面。

他表示，没有哪个国家能够独自塑造该行业的未来，呼吁全球共同应对该行业面临的挑战。

在峰会上通过的《卢米埃尔宣言》中，与会者承诺共同努力，促进视频产业的文化和经济增长。

他们一致认为，通过合作应对共同挑战至关重要，并认识到各国、企业和内容创作者在这些努力中可以发挥重要作用，承诺共同努力。