National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac briefs South Korean reporters at a press center in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday (local time) on President Lee Jae Myung's NATO summit schedule. [Yonhap]
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac briefs South Korean reporters at a press center in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday (local time) on President Lee Jae Myung's NATO summit schedule. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung held an informal meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday (local time) on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey.

The meeting drew particular attention as it came after Canada announced a German consortium — which had competed against Hanwha Ocean as a preferred bidder — as the winner of its next-generation submarine contract, a program valued at 60 trillion won ($39.2 billion) that South Korea had keenly pursued.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac announced the meeting at a briefing held at a press center set up for South Korean journalists in Ankara.

Wi said both sides agreed to continue deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership.

"Prior to the official schedule on Wednesday, President Lee held an informal meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Carney," Wi said. "President Lee had a phone call with Prime Minister Carney last weekend at the Canadian side's request, during which Canada extended special courtesy by briefing our side in advance on the outcome of the submarine contract selection."

Wi indicated that because the two sides had already exchanged extensive information about the submarine program before last weekend's announcement, the topic did not feature prominently in Wednesday's meeting.

"South Korea and Canada will continue to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership," Wi said. "At Wednesday's informal meeting, both sides held serious and substantive discussions on future AI cooperation between the two countries."

He added that the submarine bidding process had also allowed both countries to identify opportunities for cooperation across a range of areas, including defense industry, energy and critical minerals.

On South Korea's status as a reserve supplier in the contract process, Wi shrugged off expectations of a second chance, saying that while it was theoretically possible for the reserve supplier to step in if negotiations with the preferred bidder broke down, "it would be difficult to view that possibility as significant."


sang@heraldcorp.com