Over 50 attend business roundtable in Toronto, including Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik and Vice Minister Moon Shin-hak; Hanwha and Hyundai Motor present cooperation plans

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, visiting Canada as President Lee Jae Myung's special envoy for strategic economic cooperation, poses for a photo after delivering a personal letter from President Lee to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Jan. 29. [Captured from Kang Hoon-sik's social media]
Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, visiting Canada as President Lee Jae Myung's special envoy for strategic economic cooperation, poses for a photo after delivering a personal letter from President Lee to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Jan. 29. [Captured from Kang Hoon-sik's social media]

South Korea and Canada have agreed to deepen cooperation in advanced industries including space, defense and hydrogen, with Seoul aiming to leverage the partnership to secure a Canadian submarine contract.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said the government and South Korean companies gathered Sunday at the Park Hyatt Toronto for a Korea-Canada Advanced Industry Cooperation Business Roundtable, organized by KOTRA, where the two sides discussed industrial collaboration and signed three MOUs in the space and defense sectors.

The event drew more than 50 participants, including Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Shin-hak, Defense Acquisition Program Administration chief Lee Yong-cheol and Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce, along with business leaders from both countries' defense, space and hydrogen industries.

The roundtable was organized to discuss concrete cooperation projects between companies from the two countries in promising future industries — defense, space and hydrogen — and to explore ways the government can support them.

Hanwha presented plans for Korea-Canada cooperation in defense and space, while Hyundai Motor outlined hydrogen sector collaboration, including a Canadian hydrogen project.

"If Canada's abundant resources and advanced technology are combined with Korea's world-class manufacturing capabilities, the two countries could lead global markets in advanced industries," Kang said.

He added that industrial cooperation between the two countries "must go beyond simple buying and selling to become an ecosystem that connects technology, security and talent."

The special envoy delegation also visited Martinrea International during a trip in April — one of the key parties to an MOU signed between Hanwha and the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association of Canada.

The ministry said the roundtable and site visits led to the signing of three MOUs between Korean and Canadian companies in the space and defense sectors, covering satellite communications, launch facilities and defense vehicles.

Kang departed for Canada on Saturday alongside officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as companies and organizations in the energy, resources, supply chain and advanced industry sectors. He is traveling as President Lee Jae Myung's special envoy for strategic economic cooperation.

Kang and the delegation are also expected to throw their weight behind South Korean companies competing for Canada's submarine contract during the visit.


oskymoon@heraldcorp.com