Canada and South Korea have recently signed a new deal aimed at improving supply chains between the two countries.
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, traveled to South Korea to negotiate the agreement, which aims to secure vital supply chains for both nations.
While the details of the deal were not fully disclosed, it is expected to benefit Canada’s critical mineral sector, particularly in supplying materials for Korea’s auto industry, specifically for battery production.
However, the signing of this deal has been overshadowed by a dispute involving a Windsor EV battery plant.
The plant is a joint project between Stellantis, a Canadian consortium, and LG Energy, a Korean company.
This controversy has followed Prime Minister Trudeau during his trip to South Korea and has raised concerns about the success of the trade mission.
Glen McGregor, who is traveling with the Prime Minister, reported from Seoul that the situation remains uncertain.
Trudeau recently attended a state dinner with South Korea’s President, hoping to have an opportunity for discussions with LG officials.
However, it is unclear what transpired during the event.
McGregor emphasized that there is little expectation of a breakthrough occurring in Seoul.
The Canadian government believes that resolving the dispute will require addressing military aggression from both North Korea, which continues to conduct missile tests, and China, which has shown aggression towards Taiwan and conducted naval exercises in nearby waters.
These regional tensions were also discussed during the meeting between President Trudeau and his Korean counterpart.
They are expected to be topics of discussion at the upcoming G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where Trudeau is headed after leaving South Korea.
The situation involving Russia is expected to be high on the agenda at the summit, along with other pressing global issues.
