Presidential Special Envoy Discusses Defense Cooperation with Canada... Delivers Letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney

The presidential special envoy visited Canada to meet with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense to discuss defense cooperation and national issues between the two countries. The special envoy met with Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, David McGuinty, Minister of Defense, and Michael Sabia, Clerk of the Privy Council, in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, from the 22nd to the 23rd. The delegation included Kim Byung-joo as the head, along with Maeng Sung-kyu and Kim Joo-young. On the 23rd, the special envoy met with Minister Anand to deliver a letter from the President to Prime Minister Mark Carney, expressing the intention to strengthen Korea-Canada relations. Minister Anand welcomed the restoration of democracy in Korea. 
The special envoy met with Minister McGuinty on the 22nd to discuss cooperation in various fields such as security, defense, and energy, considering the complementary industrial structures of the two countries. They also expressed hope for Korea's active participation in Canada's defense modernization process. They emphasized that Korea is the optimal partner for Canada's next submarine project and artillery project.
The special envoy welcomed Minister McGuinty's attendance at the Seoul Defense Dialogue, suggesting that he directly confirm Korea's excellent defense capabilities through exchanges with our Ministry of Defense and visits to major defense facilities such as shipyards.
 On the 23rd, the special envoy met with Clerk Sabia to express gratitude for Prime Minister Carney's invitation to our leader to the G7 Summit last June. Furthermore, they agreed to deepen and develop cooperation in security, trade, defense, and energy between Korea and Canada during Canada's process of diversifying its economic and security partnerships. They particularly mentioned that Korea will prepare to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation by supporting the utilization of Canadian resources and strengthening local manufacturing capabilities based on its excellent technology in the defense sector, including submarines and artillery.
Clerk Sabia welcomed the restoration of democracy in Korea, a major partner country in the region, and expressed hope to further develop close and mutually beneficial cooperation with Korea in major areas such as economy and security amidst the increasingly complex challenges in the region.
 On the 23rd, the special envoy met with Wayne Eyre, former Chief of Defense Staff, who is the first non-American and Canadian Deputy Commander of the UN Command and a close associate of Head Kim Byung-joo. They requested General Eyre's role in expanding defense and security cooperation between Korea and Canada. General Eyre, well aware of Korea's defense excellence, responded that he would faithfully fulfill the role of a bridge between the two countries.

rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter