Korean Foreign and Defense Chiefs at Canada 2+2 Meeting: "We Will Pursue Mutually Beneficial Defense and Defense Industry Cooperation, Including Submarine Programs"

Ahead of bidding for Canada’s 60 trillion won CPSP project
Launch of Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) talks and signing of the Military and Defense Secret Information Protection Agreement
Concerns over North Korea-Russia military cooperation and destabilizing actions on the Korean Peninsula

On the 25th (local time), Minister of National Defense An Gyubaek and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun visited Canada for the Korea-Canada Foreign and Defense Ministers' Meeting (2+2). In particular, the two ministers highlighted the excellent performance of Korean submarines and Korea's ability to deliver them on time. This is being interpreted as a form of "sales diplomacy" ahead of the main bidding for Canada’s 60 trillion won Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP).

Ahn Gyubaek, Minister of National Defense, and Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met on the 25th (local time) in Ottawa, Canada, with David McGuinty, Canadian Minister of National Defence, and Anita Anand, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, for the 2nd Korea-Canada 2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministers' Meeting. From the right: Ahn Gyubaek, Minister of National Defense; Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Anita Anand, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs; David McGuinty, Canadian Minister of National Defence. Provided by the Ministry of National Defense.

According to the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 26th, the two ministers met with David McGuinty, Canada’s Minister of National Defense, and Anita Anand, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Ottawa, Canada, for the 2nd Korea-Canada Foreign and Defense Ministers' Meeting (2+2). This 2+2 meeting is a high-level consultative body convened two years after the first meeting, which was held in 2024.

At this meeting, the two ministers emphasized the outstanding performance and on-time delivery capabilities of Korean submarines, and expressed their commitment to mutually beneficial defense and defense industry cooperation, including Canada’s next-generation submarine program.

The two ministers explained that "Korea's defense industry manufacturing capabilities are in line with Canada's recently announced New Defence Industrial Strategy and can contribute to the revitalization of Canada’s domestic defense industry and job creation." They added, "We appreciate Canada’s contributions to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and going forward we will pursue mutually beneficial defense and defense industry cooperation, including Canada’s next-generation submarine program, that can reciprocate Canada’s contributions."

At present, Korean companies are waging an all-out campaign to win Canada’s CPSP project. A consortium of Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries from Korea is competing in the final round for the contract against Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).

At the joint press conference held after the meeting, Minister An stated, "I am confident that Canada’s next-generation submarine capability acquisition program will serve as an opportunity to build a partnership that creates strategic synergies by combining the defense technology and industrial capabilities of our two countries."

Minister Cho also stressed, "Korea has excellent technology that allows us to build submarines on time and within budget," adding, "We can deliver them two years earlier than Germany."

In addition, the meeting reportedly covered a range of topics including the geopolitical international situation; global strategic cooperation encompassing the Indo-Pacific region and the Arctic; responses to space security challenges; cyber threats; and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).

Furthermore, the two ministers launched consultations on a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), including a legal framework to enhance interoperability and promote cooperative activities between the two countries, and held a signing ceremony for a Military and Defense Secret Information Protection Agreement. In a joint statement they declared, "We will strengthen operational cooperation by expanding bilateral and multilateral exercises," and added, "We will sign, during 2026, a memorandum of understanding on regular air force talks to complement the ongoing navy, army, space, and strategic policy dialogues."

They also addressed North Korea. The ministers of the two countries expressed concern over North Korea’s destabilizing activities on the Korean Peninsula, including military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, malicious cyber activities, and repeated ballistic missile launches in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

They stated, "We urge North Korea to cease all provocations and return to meaningful dialogue," and "We reaffirmed our firm commitment to the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions and the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

Meanwhile, prior to this 2+2 meeting, Minister Cho and Minister An each held separate bilateral talks with Canada’s foreign minister and defense minister. Minister Cho invited Minister Anand to visit Korea this year, and Minister Anand expressed her appreciation for the invitation and proposed that they work together to coordinate a specific date.