GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — President Lee Jae Myung and his Canadian counterpart Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a landmark roadmap to deepen bilateral cooperation across security, defense, and emerging strategic domains during a summit held on the sidelines of the APEC meeting in Gyeongju, Thursday.
Dubbed the “ROK (Republic of Korea)-Canada Security and Defence Cooperation Partnership,” which is the first of its kind for Canada in the Indo-Pacific, the new framework aims to accelerate the two countries’ joint defense initiatives and strengthen industrial collaboration. The agreement further deepens the already-existing ROK-Canada Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, marking a pivotal milestone in the evolution of the two nations’ strategic partnership.
The agreement comes amid the two leaders’ two-hour summit and luncheon, where they discussed expanding bilateral cooperation across defense and economic sectors. During the meeting, President Lee described Canada as “a key ally and a friend comparable to an alliance partner.”
“During the Korean War, Canada dispatched 27,000 troops and sacrificed nearly 400 lives to defend the freedom of the Republic of Korea,” President Lee said during the summit talks, expressing deep gratitude for the historic bond between the two nations.
President Lee Jae Myung and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shake hands at a hotel in Gyeongju, Thursday, ahead of their summit meeting. Joint Press Corps
Lee underscored that the two countries have long collaborated in both defense and economic fields and emphasized the potential for further cooperation. He also praised Canada’s leadership in artificial intelligence research, saying, “Canada’s pioneering work in foundational AI research is benefiting the entire world.”
On cultural exchange, Lee highlighted Maggie Kang, the Korean-Canadian producer of “K-Pop: Demon Hunters,” as a symbol of Canada’s creative strength: “Many people think the film was made in Korea. But in fact, it was directed by a Canadian.”
Prime Minister Carney echoed the sentiment, calling South Korea an indispensable partner for Canada across defense, industry, and culture. He added that trade relations are growing stronger, defense cooperation is deepening, and cultural exchanges are expanding at an important moment for both countries.
Canada is currently pursuing the CPSP (Canadian Patrol Submarine Project), a 60-trillion-won submarine procurement program. South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, along with Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), have been shortlisted as final contenders.
Later in the day, Prime Minister Carney and Defense Minister McGuinty visited Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard to inspect the construction of a 3,600-ton submarine, accompanied by South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok. The visit is aimed at assessing the company’s production capabilities.