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Canadian secretary of state visits HD Hyundai for submarine project assessment

Published: 04 Feb. 2026, 13:56

LEE JAE-LIM
[email protected]

From second from right, Park Yong-yeol, vice president and head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ naval ship business unit, Canada’s Minister of National Defense Procurement Stephen Fuhr, Philippe Lafortune, Canada's ambassador to Korea, and rest of delegation and HD Hyundai officials pose for a photo at HD Hyundai's Global Research & Development Center in Pangyo, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 4. [HD HYUNDAI]

HD Hyundai said on Wednesday that Canada’s Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr visited the company’s Global Research & Development Center in Pangyo, Gyeonggi, to assess the Korean shipbuilder’s capabilities in connection with Canada’s Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), which is valued at up to 60 trillion won ($41.4 billion).

During the visit, the delegation received briefings on HD Hyundai’s digital shipbuilding technologies and autonomous navigation systems. Fuhr praised the company’s advancements, saying, “This is truly remarkable — I literally feel like I’m in the future.”

After observing HD Hyundai’s AI-based ship development systems and research infrastructure, Fuhr reportedly expressed strong interest in pursuing a long-term partnership with the company regarding Canada’s submarine procurement program.

The Canadian delegation was guided by Park Yong-yeol, vice president and head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ naval ship division. They toured exhibits showcasing various naval platforms, including destroyers, frigates, submarines and unmanned surface vessels.

Canada’s Minister of National Defense Procurement Stephen Fuhr, second from right, listens to explanation from HD Hyundai official at HD Hyundai's Global Research & Development Center in Pangyo, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 4. [HD HYUNDAI]

In response, Park emphasized that HD Hyundai is a “strategic partner capable of long-term collaboration with the Canadian government.”

He added, “We have proposed a range of cooperation measures designed to meet Canada’s requirements for submarine performance, delivery schedules, and the strengthening of its domestic industrial base.”

HD Hyundai is currently bidding for the CPSP as part of a joint team with Hanwha Ocean, competing against Germany’s TKMS, formerly Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. The project covers construction as well as maintenance, repair and operations over a 30-year period, with construction costs alone estimated at around 20 trillion won.

To bolster its bid, HD Hyundai has pledged to purchase several trillion won worth of Canadian crude oil through its subsidiary HD Hyundai Oilbank over the life of the project.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]