Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff for President Lee Jae Myung, said Sunday that he would be flying to undisclosed European countries, as the administration seeks to win more defense contracts in the highly competitive industry on the continent.
Kang's trip to deliver a letter from the president to the countries as Lee's special envoy would be the first of its kind. The chief of staff is expected to make similar trips three times by the end of June next year.
"I will go all out to make South Korea become a top four defense industry powerhouse," Kang told reporters before his flight to Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday at Incheon Airport.
Kang, however, did not disclose his destinations for travel or his itineraries due to the sensitivity of the issue, but local media speculates that he has planned to visit locations in Germany and Poland. According to the presidential office, a combined $56.2 billion worth of deals is up for grabs in countries Kang plans to visit, while their bidding processes are on the verge of completion.
Given that winning a massive defense contract requires more than just cooperation between defense-related ministries, Kang said his visit could make a difference. The impact of winning such deals could be a boon for a range of domestic companies, from those in the defense industry to export lenders and startups, he added.
"If a South Korean company wins an order to build a warship, it can create jobs for over 300 subcontractors that work with the company," Kang said. "I am dedicated to making any small effort to generate wealth for the country."
This follows an announcement by the presidential office on Friday that Kang would fly to Europe, and that the presidential office would establish a body to lay out comprehensive support measures to the domestic defense industry.
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