Korea-born French deputy minister says Clinton should win

A Korean-born French deputy minister said Tuesday he hopes Hillary Clinton wins the United States presidential election, casting Donald Trump as a dangerous politician in terms of national security.

"At least for the sake of global development and stability, I think Clinton should win," French Deputy Minister for Government Reform and Simplification Jean-Vincent Place said in a press conference in Seoul.

He is in South Korea for a four-day visit to attend a government forum on digital administration. During the tour, he is also scheduled to take part in bilateral cultural events to mark the 130th anniversary of the South Korea-France diplomatic relations this year.

His visit generated media attention here because of his special background as a South Korean adoptee who rose to a high-ranking government post in his adoptive country.

"On this point, I am in violation of my own principle to not make any comments on political affairs in foreign countries, but I can make myself clear (on support for Clinton)," Place said in French. "Trump's embarrassing remarks about U.S. troops stationed in South Korea show just how dangerous a person he is."

The French deputy minister's comment came as voters in the U.S. are going to the polls to pick who will go to the White House. Most polls have predicted a very close race between Clinton and Trump.

Touching on bilateral cooperation between Seoul and Paris, he unveiled his plan to sign an agreement on digital administration with South Korea's home ministry.

"South Korea's IT industry is very advanced and it is being applied to government administration ... France will have a lot to learn from South Korea's experiences," Place said, also expressing hopes for more cooperative projects between the regional governments of the two countries. (Yonhap)