GEOJE — Prime Minister Mark Carney toured a South Korean submarine Thursday during a visit to the shipyards of Hanwha Ocean, one of two companies competing to build Canada’s next fleet of submarines.

On the same day that Canada and South Korea agreed to a new defence partnership, Carney was joined at the shipyard by Defence Minister David McGuinty, Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-Seok.

“It’s a beautiful submarine,” said Topshee, commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.

Hanwha officials showed off their production facility, which features automated welding by robots.

Canada plans to buy up to 12 new submarines to replace the navy’s aging Victoria Class fleet, part of an effort to bolster the military’s presence in the Arctic.

Carney toured a rival submar

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