A Glimpse Below the Surface: Minister Joly Steps into South Korea’s KSS-III Submarine Program

South Korea, November 24, 2025 welcomed to Geoje by the leadership of one of the most advanced shipbuilding enterprises in the world, the Honourable Mélanie Joly — Canada’s Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions — stepped into a shipyard where the future of Canadian underwater capability may be taking shape.

Her arrival marked more than a diplomatic drop-in. It was a front-row look at the technology and industrial power behind the KSS-III submarine — the very platform Hanwha proposes for Canada’s Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP). The minister toured the expansive facilities, witnessed the KSS-III production line in motion, and stepped aboard the same submarine launched for the Republic of Korea Navy just weeks earlier on October 22. Here, in a venue defined by steel, precision and scale, Joly could see firsthand what a fully in-service, actively produced submarine program looks like.

“It was a great pleasure to host Minister Joly at our shipyard today and show her the proven, in-service and in-production KSS-III submarine that we feel is the best submarine for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. Equally important was our discussion on the economic benefits we plan to bring to Canada as part of this project as well as how Canada and South Korea can enhance their relationship in a number of areas that are of strategic importance to both nations,” expressed VAdm (Ret) Steve SK Jeong, Senior Executive Vice President, Head of Naval Ship International Business, Hanwha Ocean.

Conversations with Hanwha leaders underscored a message Canada has been hearing with increasing frequency: the company is ready to become more than a supplier — it intends to be a long-term strategic partner. Hanwha’s ambition stretches beyond submarines, touching defence, space, sustainable energy, critical minerals and emerging technology sectors. The goal is clear — build industrial depth, accelerate defence capability, strengthen bilateral ties and develop a Canadian supply chain that creates jobs and economic benefit at home. Already, memoranda of understanding and teaming agreements are in place with over a dozen Canadian companies, laying the foundation for that partnership.

More than a dozen Canadian companies already hold MOUs or teaming agreements with Hanwha.
More than a dozen Canadian companies already hold MOUs or teaming agreements with Hanwha.

As the minister responsible for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, along with her portfolio in Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Joly’s discussions centred on both the strategic implications and the economic potential of Hanwha’s proposal. The visit provided tangible insight into South Korea’s shipbuilding capacity — and what collaboration could mean for Canadian industry and workforce opportunities moving forward.

The conversation carries weight. In August 2025, the Government of Canada named the KSS-III as a qualified supplier under CPSP — a major step for a submarine that already operates in service and meets, even exceeds, Canada’s High-Level Mandatory Requirements. Those requirements prioritize Arctic endurance, long-range deployment, underwater surveillance strength, and the stealth and lethality needed to detect, track, deter, and if required, neutralize threats across Canada’s three ocean approaches.

But where Hanwha’s pitch gains momentum is pace.

If contracted in 2026, the company says it could deliver four KSS-III submarines — enough to fully replace Canada’s aging Victoria-class fleet — before 2035. The cost avoidance alone could reach approximately $1 billion by eliminating years of extended maintenance and fleet sustainment. The plan doesn’t stop there: eight more submarines would follow, one per year, positioning Canada to operate a 12-boat fleet by 2043. No alternative option currently offered matches this delivery tempo.

For Canada, the implications are strategic, economic, and operational. For Hanwha, the message is one of readiness. And for both nations — aligned through the Indo-Pacific Strategy and shared security interests — the visit marks another step toward a deeper industrial and defence partnership.

What comes next for CPSP remains Canada’s decision. But the steel is real, the production line is active, and the submarine Minister Joly walked through is already in the water. In Geoje, one possible future for Canada’s underwater fleet was not just described — it was visible, touchable, and underway.



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