The head of the state arms procurement agency visited Australia this week to discuss expanding arms industry cooperation, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Friday, as Seoul eyes clinching more defense deals with Canberra. On Wednesday, DAPA Minister Seok Jong-gun met Jim McDowell, Canberra's deputy secretary of naval shipbuilding and sustainment, to discuss strategic cooperation in the two countries' warship projects, according to his office. In February, Australia announced a plan to acquire 11 new frigates for its Navy, with South Korean, Japanese, German and Spanish vessels being mentioned as candidates. Seok also attended a ceremony Friday to mark South Korean defense company Hanwha Aerospace's completion of a factory in Geelong, southeastern Australia, to build K9 self-propelled howitzers, K10 ammunition resupply vehicles and Redback infantry fighting vehicles. In December 2021, Hanwha signed a deal to supply 30 K9 Thunder howitzers and 15 K10 armored ammunition resupply veh icles to Australia by 2027. It also struck another deal to sell 129 Redbacks to Australia last December. On the sidelines of the ceremony, Seok held talks with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and other officials to discuss efforts for long-term cooperation, such as South Korea's potential participation in Australia's frigate project. Source: Yonhap News Agency