Kang Hoon-sik Delivers Letter from President Lee, Mounts All-Out Push for Canadian Submarine Deal: "Like a Five-Star Hotel"

Kang, serving as President Lee Jae-myung’s Special Envoy for Strategic Economic Cooperation, has been meeting Prime Minister Mark Carney and other top Canadian government officials in quick succession. He is mounting an all-out diplomatic effort to support South Korea’s bid to win a major submarine contract.
Kang said on the 29th via his SNS that he had delivered President Lee’s personal letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Kang wrote, "Prime Minister Carney personally received the President’s letter. I also had a breakfast meeting with Marc-André Blanchard, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff," adding, "Industry minister Mélanie Joly, with whom I had spoken until late last night local time, also joined us, which allowed for more advanced discussions."
He went on, "Even while Parliament was not in session, we met with Hassan Yusuf, chair of the Senate Defense Committee, as well as Senators Andrew Cardozo, Judy White, and Marty Deacon, who all agreed to meet with the presidential delegation," and added, "It was clear how much interest Canada has in its relationship with us."
Kang particularly noted, "Finance minister François-Philippe Champagne told me his child is a big fan of K-pop and part of Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth (ARMY), so he opened up quickly and we were able to talk with ease. Whenever I meet foreign dignitaries like this, I feel we benefit greatly from the strength of our culture," adding, "The finance minister said he hopes to see more opportunities for cooperation and stressed that he is willing to provide the necessary financial and administrative support."
Kang and the rest of the special envoy delegation departed for Canada on the 26th. Their mission is to support South Korean companies in winning the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), a program for new patrol submarines worth a total of about 60 trillion won.
Kang emphasized, "This submarine project is also an opportunity for the Republic of Korea (South Korea) to achieve a major leap forward in its defense industry. If it goes through, it will mark our largest-ever entry into a Western defense market, and we expect it will also serve as a springboard for a full-fledged push into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) market."
He continued, "Because this will be an important milestone for both countries, we explained that when we introduce our submarines, we design and build them with the mindset that our own sons and daughters will be on board. That is why we aim to make them 'like a five-star hotel.'"
Kang also shared the positive reactions from Canadian government officials. He explained, "Defense minister David McGuinty once suffered a serious head injury after hitting his head inside a submarine. But when he visited the Hanwha Ocean shipyard in Geoje last year and inspected a submarine under construction, he said he had no concerns at all about such injuries," adding, "He even remarked on the spot that he wanted to take that submarine straight back to Canada."
Kang said, "Canada is determined to use this submarine acquisition program as a turning point for a fundamental overhaul of its industrial and security policies. Every senior official we met consistently stressed that this is not simply about buying a new weapon system," and added, "We have met all of the top decision-makers. We conveyed everything we wanted to say, and we fully communicated our sincerity."
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter