Seoul: Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Thursday held talks with Stephen Fuhr, Canada's secretary of state for defense procurement, in Seoul to discuss arms cooperation, the defense ministry said, as Seoul seeks to win a major deal to supply naval submarines to Canada.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the meeting took place during Fuhr's weeklong visit to South Korea, which includes tours of South Korean shipyards and defense firms. This visit aligns with Ottawa's plans to select a supplier for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, valued at approximately 60 trillion won (US$41 billion).

South Korea's Hanwha Ocean Co. and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. are among the final contenders for the project, alongside Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. During the meeting, Ahn highlighted South Korea's proficiency in constructing and operating indigenous submarines, emphasizing the country's ability to deliver them efficiently and reliably, which could significantly enhance Canada's naval capabilities.

Fuhr expressed keen interest in South Korea's industrial strengths and comprehensive support systems, hoping that the meeting would serve as a foundation for elevating bilateral relations to a strategic arms industry partnership, according to the ministry.

Both parties agreed on the significance of mutually beneficial defense and arms industry cooperation amidst a shifting security landscape and discussed potential strategic collaboration for the submarine procurement project. They also referenced an agreement, signed during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last year, aimed at strengthening bilateral security and defense partnerships, underscoring its symbolic value and committing to ongoing communication to achieve tangible results in defense cooperation.

During his visit, Fuhr also boarded the 3,600-ton Jang Bogo-III Batch-II submarine Jang Yeong-sil, which Hanwha Ocean has proposed for the Canadian project.