Lee Yong-cheol, chief of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, attends a ceremony at the Navy submarine command in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, 25 March 2026. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
July 7 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's defense acquisition chief apologized Tuesday for failing to win Canada's next-generation submarine project, saying alliance interoperability was the decisive factor in Ottawa's decision.
Lee Yong-cheol, head of South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration, said South Korea's submarine proposal was competitive on performance, delivery schedule and maintenance, but Canada placed greater weight on its long-standing NATO defense network.
"I am sorry that we were unable to achieve the expected result despite strong public interest and all-out support from the Industry Ministry, Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Navy and other government agencies," Lee told reporters at the Defense Ministry press room. "The failure to secure the result was due to my lack of ability."
Canada selected Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as the preferred bidder for its Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, which aims to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's aging submarine fleet.
