South Korea’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back met with Stephen Fuhr, Canada’s secretary of state for defence procurement, in Seoul to talk about arms cooperation. Fuhr, currently in South Korea for a weeklong visit, is exploring South Korean shipyards and defence companies. The discussions are crucial as Canada is about to choose a supplier for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, valued at 60 trillion won (USD 41 billion).
Both Hanwha Ocean Co. and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. from South Korea, along with Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, are the final contenders for the submarine deal. Ahn highlighted South Korea’s expertise in building and operating submarines, ensuring a swift and stable supply. Fuhr showed keen interest in South Korea’s industrial capabilities and support systems, aiming to enhance bilateral ties into a strategic arms industry partnership.
The importance of mutually beneficial defence and arms industry cooperation was acknowledged by both sides, considering the evolving security landscape. They discussed potential strategic collaboration for the submarine procurement project. Emphasizing a signed agreement to strengthen bilateral security and defence partnership from the previous year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, they agreed to maintain communication for practical outcomes in defence cooperation.
During his visit, Fuhr toured the 3,600-ton Jang Bogo-III Batch-II submarine Jang Yeong-sil, proposed by Hanwha Ocean for the Canadian project.
