Opposition lawmakers from the People Power Party have said diplomatic and security credibility must underpin defense exports, following Hanwha Ocean's failure to be named the preferred bidder for Canada's next-generation submarine program (CPSP).
People Power Party lawmaker Kim Geon wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that he wanted to express "gratitude and consolation to Team Korea, which fought fiercely until the end against Germany — a country with the world's highest level of submarine construction technology." He added that the competition "was a meaningful process that again proved South Korea's defense industry technology has risen to the world's top tier."
Kim went on to say that rather than dwelling on the disappointing result, South Korea must "coldly analyze the causes of this failed bid and use them as lessons for the next opportunity," stressing that defense exports are "not simply a matter of price and technology competition."
He added that trust is also essential — "trust in which country you will share security with, and whether you have the will and capability to stably supply weapons even when an adversary of the recipient country applies pressure in a crisis."
Kim also raised the issue of vacant overseas diplomatic posts, arguing that "diplomatic power — closely communicating with the partner government on the ground and activating top-level networks — is critically important for defense exports." He noted that South Korea's ambassador to Canada was only appointed in March, saying "the control tower on the diplomatic front was empty while a crucial bidding competition was in full swing."
People Power Party chief spokesperson Choi Bo-yun also issued a statement Tuesday, saying that "putting the 'significance of the challenge' ahead of reflection on the causes of defeat falls short of the expectations of citizens who had hoped for enormous national gains" from the 60 trillion won contract.
Choi said the government "must not dismiss this failure as mere 'experience,'" adding that "if there are barriers that cannot be overcome by technological competitiveness alone, building the diplomatic foundation to lower those barriers is precisely the government's responsibility."
mp1256@heraldcorp.com
