Gaël Parienté (E26): ‘France and South Korea Have Special Ties’

Gaël Parienté (E26) co-founded the Paris Korean Club with Elie Politi. Its aim is to facilitate and strengthen diplomatic, economic and cultural links between France and South Korea. 

ESSEC Alumni: What is the goal of the Paris Korean Club?

Gaël Parienté: The Paris Korean Club stems from the Paris Asian Act, a non-profit organisation I founded to help boost ties between South Korea and Europe, and particularly France. It is a platform for reflection, networking and influence, geared towards French, Korean and European leaders and decision-makers in economic, political, cultural and technological spheres. Our task is to create synergies between public and private ecosystems of both countries, through the organisation of targeted events, support for concrete projects and the fostering of local diplomacy.

EA: How have relations between France and South Korea evolved in recent years?

G. Parienté: Relations have intensified significantly in economic, diplomatic and cultural terms. Several factors can explain this. Firstly, the rise of South Korea as an innovative world player in key sectors such as technology, culture and energy transition. Secondly, the growing interest among French companies for North-East Asia, and particularly Korea, as a strategic market and innovation partner. Lastly, the combined repositioning of French diplomacy towards the Indo-Pacific region, and bolstering of Korean diplomacy towards Europe, in a context of global geopolitical uncertainty. Not forgetting the free trade deal signed between the European Union and Korea in 2011.

EA: How would you describe the present state of play of French-Korean relations on an economic level?

G. Parienté: France constitutes South Korea’s 4^th European investor, with more than 200 companies located there, including L'Oréal, Safran, TotalEnergies and Dassault Systèmes. Conversely, several South Korean conglomerates, such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai are highly active in France. As a result, bilateral France-Korea trade now exceeds €10 billion per year. Certain strategic sectors stand out: aeronautics, the automotive industry, cosmetics, luxury goods, renewable energy, and more recently, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

EA: What about diplomatic and geopolitical relations?

G. Parienté: France and Korea share a common standpoint on multilateralism, international law and environmental transition. France thus supports the Korean peninsula’s ‘sustainable peace’ policy and works closely with Korea in forums such as the UN, the G20 or the OECD. South Korea is also one of the rare Asian countries with which France has maintained a global strategic partnership since 2006, which demonstrates a high level of trust and coordination.

EA: And on a cultural level?

G. Parienté: K-Culture is gaining ground in France, through music (K-pop), film (Golden Palm for Bong Joon-ho), TV series, gastronomy and cosmetics. France is among Europe’s leading translators and publishers of Korean works. The French Institute and the Korean Cultural Centre in Paris play a structuring role in our interactions. 

EA: On the other hand, are there any hurdles to the growth of French-Korean relations?

G. Parienté: We could evoke cultural differences which are still misunderstood; a lack of mutual visibility outside of major groups; administrative complexity and strict regulations governing both markets, and a lack of cooperative structuring for SMEs and start-ups in both countries. To address this, we need human bridges, targeted networking actions and qualified venues for exchange. This is precisely what the Paris Korean Club offers.

EA: What is the outlook for French-Korean relations?

G. Parienté: There are many opportunities for cooperation and bilateral growth in cutting-edge sectors, artificial intelligence, health and the green economy. Korean soft power will continue to spread in France, while Korea is already showing a growing interest in the French Touch. In terms of risk, we have to factor in regional geopolitical tensions (China, North Korea), non-tariff barriers and the instability of supply chains.

EA: What other key partners does France have in the Indo-Pacific region?

G. Parienté: France maintains strategic relations with Japan, India, Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam. However, South Korea is still often perceived as the reference technological partner, particularly in aeronautics, digital technology and creative industries. Likewise, while Korea maintains relations with Germany (for industry), the Netherlands (for high-tech) and the UK, it tends to prioritise France due to its influence , fashion and luxury industry, and start-up ecosystem.

EA: What actions does the Paris Korean Club lead in this context?

G. Parienté: We act on three levels. Firstly, we organise prestigious events such as our inaugural evening in early 2024 with Jacques Attali, or the fashion show at Printemps Haussmann in partnership with LF Corp. Secondly, we open strategic access to markets through immersive projects such as Korean Wave at BHV Marais, which is offering a showcase to Korean brands in Paris until the end of July 2025. Thirdly, we facilitate networking by connecting public policy-makers, company leaders, investment funds, institutions and artists, and by launching sector-based initiatives in technology, cosmetics, gaming, gastronomy and culture. 

EA: What is your personal link to Korea?

G. Parienté: My ties to Korea developed gradually, both through passion and professional commitment. It reached a decisive milestone during Paris Blockchain Week, where I worked closely with Korean gaming and new-technology stakeholders on the topics of sponsoring and strategic partnerships, at a time when Korea had strong international aims in Web3, e-sport and immersive entertainment. This experience was an eye-opener for me; the stakes went far beyond blockchain. It was a matter of supporting Korean creative and technological industries in their expansion into Europe, and vice versa. I also realised that France was arriving at a turning point. In the aftermath of COVID-19, we were seeking to strengthen partnerships in Asia, while rebalancing relations with China. It was with these goals in mind that I decided to found the Paris Korean Club, to create a structured, sustainable framework for action, with high added value.

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni

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