Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
UK envoy publicly backs Hanwha Ocean's bid for Canada's submarine project
British Ambassador Colin Crooks / Korea Times file
By Nam Hyun-woo
The British ambassador to Korea publicly expressed support for Hanwha Ocean's bid to win Canada's next-generation submarine program during a recent meeting with President Lee Jae Myung, signaling the U.K. government's willingness to cooperate with the Korean shipbuilder on the multibillion-dollar defense project.
British Ambassador Colin Crooks told Lee during a reception for the diplomatic corps at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday, in Korean, that "the U.K. government would like to work with Hanwha on the Canadian submarine project."
Lee responded with a smile, saying, "Yes, I hope it succeeds."
The comments are widely seen as more than a diplomatic courtesy, given the United Kingdom's growing involvement in Hanwha Ocean's campaign to secure the Canadian contract.
Hanwha Ocean has partnered with Babcock Canada, a subsidiary of British defense contractor Babcock International, through a memorandum of understanding and a teaming agreement for the Canadian program. Under the arrangement, Hanwha Ocean would supply the submarine platform and oversee construction, while Babcock would provide in-country maintenance, repair and overhaul services and long-term support.
The partnership would allow Korea to export submarines while creating opportunities for British firms to participate in maintenance, equipment supply and localization efforts in Canada.
Crooks' visit in February to Hanwha Ocean's shipyard in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, was also seen as part of the same effort. During the visit, he toured facilities associated with the Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarine proposed for Canada, including block assembly lines, automated manufacturing systems and the company's smart shipyard operations.
Canada's submarine acquisition program, known as the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, aims to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's aging fleet of four Victoria-class submarines. Ottawa plans to procure up to 12 new submarines capable of operating across the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. Industry estimates value the project at around 60 trillion won ($43 billion).
The competition is increasingly being viewed as a two-way race between Hanwha Ocean and Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). Hanwha is offering a variant of the KSS-III submarine based on Korea's Jangbogo-III-class platform, while TKMS is promoting the Type 212CD submarine, jointly developed by Germany and Norway.
Hanwha Ocean's key advantages include delivery speed and operational experience. The company has proposed delivering four submarines by 2035 if selected. Last month, the Republic of Korea Navy's Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine visited Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in British Columbia, demonstrating the KSS-III platform's long-range operational capabilities.
However, Canada's membership in NATO remains a significant factor. TKMS is a German company, and the 212CD platform is already being developed and operated within the NATO framework by Germany and Norway. As a result, interoperability, logistics support and intelligence-sharing considerations could weigh heavily alongside performance, price and delivery schedules.
That is where Britain's role becomes increasingly important.
The U.K. is both a NATO member and part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, which also includes Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Babcock has long supported the Royal Canadian Navy's submarine fleet and has an established maintenance network and local supply chain in Canada.
Industry observers say Babcock's participation helps mitigate concerns over Hanwha Ocean's status as a non-NATO defense contractor by providing NATO-linked industrial support and established local expertise.
"If Hanwha Ocean wins the contract, Babcock would also benefit from significant follow-on business opportunities," a defense industry official said.
"The involvement of a British defense company enhances Hanwha's proposal by adding NATO credibility and extensive experience supporting Canada's submarine fleet."