Kang Hoonshik Meets Canadian Secretary of State for Defence Procurement at Blue House: "We Will Do Our Utmost to Win Submarine Contract Until the End"

Under President Lee's Instruction, Meeting Held at Main Building for "Special Courtesy"
"Preparing Remaining Procedures Based on Hints from the Canadian Side"
Ahn Kyubaek Also Met Fuhr the Previous Day, Emphasizing "Whole Life-Cycle Support"

Kang Hoonshik, Chief of Staff to the President, met with Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement of Canada, at the main building of the Blue House on the 6th and reiterated the administration's commitment to supporting Korea's bid for Canada’s next-generation submarine acquisition program (CPSP).

Kang Hoonsik, Chief of Staff to the President, poses for a commemorative photo at the Main Building of the Blue House on the 6th before a meeting with Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement of Canada. (Source: Kang Hoonsik, Chief of Staff's Facebook)

Chief of Staff Kang wrote on Facebook that day that "we met again after about a week," and noted that this meeting was held at the Blue House main building in accordance with President Lee Jaemyung's instruction to "accord special courtesy to Canadian diplomatic envoys."

Kang also introduced that Philippe Leclerc, Ambassador of Canada to Korea, expressed his gratitude, saying that "I am well aware of the weight and significance inherent in having a conversation in the main building itself."

Regarding Secretary Fuhr, he wrote that Fuhr "is overseeing the bidding and selection procedures for Canada's submarine acquisition project," adding, "I know very well that many people are looking forward to the outcome, but the situation is by no means easy."

Kang stated that during the meeting he conveyed his hope that "this project will become a decisive opportunity to bind the two countries as genuine partners." In particular, he explained that he invoked the example of cooperation on the Barakah nuclear power plant with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and used the metaphor of a "brother nation." He added that they shared practical advice on what to keep in mind during the preparation of Team Korea's final proposal and presentation, saying, "Based on the hints we confirmed today, we will thoroughly prepare for the remaining procedures."

The CPSP is an ultra-large project estimated to be worth up to 60 trillion won, and in Korea a consortium of Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is competing with Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).

This meeting took place during Secretary Fuhr's visit to Korea. The Canadian government has stated that during his stay, Secretary Fuhr will meet with senior Korean government officials to discuss defense industry cooperation and industrial collaboration.

On the 5th, Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyubaek received Secretary Fuhr at the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan, Seoul, and is reported to have emphasized Korea's experience in submarine development and operation, as well as its capabilities in "whole life-cycle support."

Chief of Staff Kang said, "It is a challenging task to unlock the door to the defense market of advanced countries, where entry barriers are high," and added, "The government and companies will unite as one team and do our utmost until the very end."