Reference Image | U.S. Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine Illinois under construction at Groton Shipyard, Connecticut (2015). Source: AP. The recent agreement between South Korea and the United States to accelerate follow-up negotiations on nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear energy cooperation represents far more than a routine diplomatic development. The emphasis on producing tangible results quickly suggests that both governments recognize the growing urgency of t

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik’s recent visit to Canada carries significance far beyond a routine diplomatic schedule. This is because Canada’s next-generation submarine project—a massive undertaking valued at up to 60 trillion KRW—presents a crucial opportunity for South Korea’s defense industry to once again prove its competitiveness on the global stage. Driven by fast delivery times, cost competitiveness, and superior technology, South Korean defense companies h

May 27, 2026 At a Crossroads: Canada's Maritime Security and the Future of Its Undersea Fleet A Strategic Assessment of the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) and South Korea's KSS-III Platform 1. Executive Summary Based on recent analysis by the Global Affairs Lab, this report evaluates the trajectory of the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), a multibillion-dollar acquisition crucial to Ottawa's national defense. Plagued by chronic availability issues with its a

For decades, relations between South Korea and Japan were defined by history. Colonial rule, wartime atrocities, territorial disputes, and unresolved emotional resentment repeatedly shaped the political atmosphere between the two countries. That is why many people were surprised to see a progressive South Korean president and a conservative Japanese prime minister developing what appears to be genuine political chemistry. But the most important detail in this summit was not s

1. Introduction 1.1 Digital Regulation as a New Strategic Issue For decades, the global digital economy expanded under a laissez-faire paradigm, assuming that minimal intervention would maximize technological progress. Today, however, that consensus has fractured. Driven by concerns over market dominance, data privacy, algorithmic transparency, and digital sovereignty, governments worldwide are aggressively redefining the boundary between innovation and regulation. Democratic