Kang Hoon-sik Pushes for Canadian Submarine Contract, Promises 430,000 Jobs by 2044

Kang Hoon-sik, the Chief of Staff to the President, continued his efforts to secure a submarine contract in Canada on June 3, meeting with the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister.

In a Facebook post, Kang reported on his second day in Ottawa, stating that he met with various Canadian political figures to request support for the submarine bid.

During his meeting with Mark-André Blanchard, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Kang discussed expanding partnerships in energy and middle power cooperation, urging for an objective and fair evaluation of the capabilities of South Korean submarines and the economic benefits of industrial collaboration.

Kang noted that this was their third meeting and both he and Blanchard agreed that the ongoing communication between the two countries' chief of staffs is a sign of rapidly improving bilateral relations.

Kang also visited the Canadian Senate, where he met with Marty Deacon, Chair of the National Security, Defence, and Veterans Affairs Committee, and three other senators. He explained how their proposed industrial cooperation, linked to the submarine project, could bring significant economic benefits to Canada and requested parliamentary interest and support for the submarine bid.

He emphasized that 'Team Korea' could contribute to job creation and economic revitalization in Ontario, the heart of manufacturing.

In a meeting with Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly, he highlighted that the agreement between Hanwha, APMA, and Algoma is equivalent to establishing a new automotive plant in Canada.

Kang introduced the potential impact of submarine cooperation, which could contribute CAD 96.3 billion to GDP and create 430,000 jobs by 2044, while also discussing Hyundai's hydrogen vision for domestic and international markets.

Additionally, Kang met with Minister of Natural Resources Team Hodgson to discuss expanding crude oil imports and energy cooperation in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and critical minerals, and he attended the 'Korea-Canada Energy Resource Supply Chain Forum.'

Kang, who departed on May 31, is expected to conclude his visit to Canada and return home around June 4.

Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries are competing against Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for the Canadian next-generation submarine contract, valued at up to 60 trillion won. The final contractor announcement is anticipated by the end of June.