A defense industry special delegation led by Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik will visit Canada and Norway next week. In Canada, it will support bidding for the 60 trillion won Coastal Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), for which a consortium formed by Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is competing. In Norway, it will discuss the export of the Chunmoo (K-239) multiple rocket launcher system.
According to political circles and the defense industry on the 23rd, the defense industry special delegation led by Kang will visit Canada and Norway in succession next week. Last year, Kang served as the president's special envoy for strategic economic cooperation and visited Poland, Romania, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia to support local bidding activities by Korea's defense industry. This visit marks the third special envoy mission, with stops in Canada and Norway.
Canada is drawing the most attention. The Canadian government is pushing a coastal patrol submarine project worth 60 trillion won. A one-team consortium of Korea's Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) have made the shortlist. The Canadian government plans to receive final proposals in March this year and select a preferred negotiating partner in the first half.
The Canadian government is known to place heavier weight on industrial and economic benefits than on the submarine's performance itself. The key is how much industrial benefit Korea and Germany can offer Canada at the government level. Because of this, in addition to Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai, several domestic corporations are expected to join the Canada defense industry special delegation.
A senior executive from Hyundai Motor is highly likely to accompany the trip to discuss the Canadian government's request to establish a local Hyundai Motor plant. A defense industry official involved in the special delegation said, "I understand there is a strong possibility that Chair Chung Eui-sun or Vice Chair Chang Jae-hoon will step in personally." In addition, Korean Air Lines, which is cooperating with Canada's Bombardier in the military aircraft sector, is also expected to join the delegation.
After wrapping up the Canada schedule, the delegation is slated to move to Norway. Norway recently finalized the introduction of Chunmoo. In the first defense industry special envoy mission on Oct. last year, Kang visited Norway and personally worked on the introduction of Chunmoo. With the Norwegian government confirming the procurement, this visit is expected to include a contract signing ceremony and defense cooperation activities.
A defense industry official said, "Recently, defense exports often come as package deals that bundle not only weapon performance but also maintenance, repair and overhaul services, and other economic and industrial benefits," and added, "That makes it important for the government to provide leadership and support, and the Chunmoo export contract with Norway appears to be a representative case."