South Korea's Defense minister highlights submarine bid in call with Canadian counterpart
Seoul, June 4
Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back held a phone call with his Canadian counterpart, David McGuinty, on Thursday and underscored the commitment to expanding bilateral defence ties amid South Korea's push to win Canada's submarine procurement project, the defence ministry said.
During the talks, Ahn expressed hope that the two countries would strengthen solidarity as key partners across a wide range of areas, including the submarine project, security and defence cooperation, and broader industrial collaboration.
The ministers agreed that their joint exercise last month helped further enhance interoperability between their navies, while reaffirming their shared commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Ahn also praised the port visit of the 3,000-ton ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine to Esquimalt in Victoria last month, which marked the first trans-Pacific voyage by a South Korean submarine, the ministry said.
The Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) is a major procurement program involving up to 12 diesel-electric submarines, which is estimated at up to 60 trillion won (US$39.7 billion), including construction, maintenance, repair and overhaul.
A consortium of Hanwha Ocean Co. and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. has been shortlisted for the project and is competing with Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). Canada is expected to announce its preferred bidder later this month.
South Korea has proposed a hydrogen-powered truck project as part of its bid for a major Canadian submarine contract to boost its offer against Germany, according to a Canadian media report.
Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik unveiled the proposal in an interview with Canada's CTV News on Wednesday (local time) during his visit to Canada as President Lee Jae Myung's special envoy supporting Seoul's campaign to supply 12 submarines to Ottawa.
During the interview, Kang said South Korea would invest more than $2.3 billion in Canada to help establish a hydrogen-powered trucking industry and create about 9,000 jobs through a project code-named "Project Beaver" if the Korean consortium wins the submarine contract.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see South Korea and Canada strengthening ties. As someone who follows geopolitics, this submarine project will definitely impact Indo-Pacific dynamics. Both countries seem committed to regional stability. Let's hope it leads to genuine cooperation and not just competition.
Seeing South Korea's ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine complete its first trans-Pacific voyage is impressive. India should also focus on building our own submarine capabilities and find strategic partners. These defense collaborations are crucial for naval power in the region.
The "Project Beaver" hydrogen truck proposal is clever - it's not just about selling submarines but creating a broader economic partnership. However, I wonder how realistic 9,000 jobs projection is. Always skeptical when such big numbers are thrown around in defense deals.
Competition between South Korea's Hanwha-Hyundai consortium and Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems will be intense. Each has strengths. From an Indian perspective, we should watch this closely - our own naval modernization could benefit from studying such procurement models. Good to see India-South Korea relations strong too.
Interesting how defense diplomacy works. A phone call between ministers to discuss a major submarine deal. The joint exercises mentioned seem valuable for interoperability. But I'd urge caution - such large contracts can lead to dependency. Hope Canada chooses wisely.
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