The ceremony was hosted by the Defence Acquisition Program Administration, led by Minister Lee Yong Cheol. It was convened to convey to the Government of Canada the Republic of Korea’s firm commitment to systematically support both the bid and the implementation of Industrial and Technological Benefits obligations through coordinated interagency cooperation.
Hanwha Ocean is leading the bid, supported by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, in response to the Request for Proposal issued by Canada in November 2025. Alongside performance, delivery schedule and price, tangible contributions to Canadian industry through 100 per cent ITB fulfilment form critical evaluation criteria in the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project.
Participating agencies in the signing ceremony included the Ministry of National Defense, the Republic of Korea Navy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and the Korea Aerospace Administration. The coordinated approach reflects what officials described as whole-of-government backing for the bid.
The Letter of Commitment affirms that, in support of the CPSP’s key requirement of full ITB fulfilment, the Government of the Republic of Korea will responsibly advance industrial cooperation initiatives at government level. These initiatives have been identified jointly by relevant ministries under the leadership of the Cheong Wa Dae and incorporated into the bidders’ proposal.
The Korean Government said it had proactively identified and developed industrial cooperation initiatives through interagency coordination led by Cheong Wa Dae and reflected them in the submission. It added that Cheong Wa Dae and relevant ministries will continue close coordination to enhance implementation management mechanisms, define concrete industrial cooperation tasks and strengthen international credibility, while sustaining support for expanding global cooperation in Korea’s defence and shipbuilding sectors.
In his remarks, Minister Lee stressed that the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project represents more than a technical submarine offer. He said the CPSP “represents a comprehensive industrial cooperation package reflecting government-level trust and implementation capability, which is beyond a proposal just demonstrating ROK submarine’s performance,” and reaffirmed that the ROK Government will provide systematic support to ensure the companies’ responsible implementation of the proposal.
