South Korea Pitches Submarine Bid, Space and Defense Ties as Canada Nears Vendor Decision

South Korea and Canada discussed deeper partnership in advanced industries including space and defense during a June 1-2 visit by high-ranking Seoul officials to Toronto. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and KOTRA jointly hosted a business roundtable attended by approximately 50 business leaders from both countries.

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik attended the roundtable as Seoul's envoy for special economic cooperation, joined by Vice Industry Minister Moon Shin-hak and Minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration Lee Yong-cheol.

7 billion. A South Korean Navy submarine, the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, entered a Canadian naval base in Esquimalt, Victoria on May 23. Canada is expected to announce the preferred bidder for the submarine contract in late June.

-HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. consortium is competing with Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. At the roundtable, Hanwha proposed ways to deepen space and defense cooperation, while Hyundai Motor Co.

Presented its vision for hydrogen partnership between the two countries. Korean and Canadian companies signed three memorandums of understanding for collaboration in space and defense sectors. Kang Hoon-sik met Canadian Secretary of State for Defense Procurement Stephen Fuhr and Defense Minister David McGuinty on June 1.

He stressed Seoul's willingness and capacity to proactively contribute to Canada's security amid growing security uncertainties stemming from the conflict in the Middle East and other issues. Kang posted about the meeting on his Facebook account on June 2. " Yonhap reported the details from Seoul on June 2.