The chief of U.S. naval operations, Adm. Daryl Caudle, visited the shipyards of South Korea's leading shipbuilders HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean to discuss shipbuilding cooperation between Seoul and Washington. The visit focused on advancing the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA) initiative. It is expected to accelerate talks on technological cooperation and supply-chain integration.
On Saturday, November 15, Adm. Daryl Caudle met with HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun at the company's shipyard in Ulsan, 350 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Chung briefed the admiral on the company's world-class shipbuilding technologies, and the two exchanged views on advancing the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA) initiative. The MASGA project, led by the South Korean government, aims to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry through partnerships with South Korean shipbuilders.
"We will help enhance U.S. shipbuilding capabilities and strengthen the U.S. Navy's combat readiness, while making every effort to ensure the success of MASGA," Chung was quoted as saying. HD Hyundai said Caudle's visit is expected to accelerate discussions with U.S. counterparts on technological cooperation in naval ship construction and closer supply-chain integration.
Later the same day, the admiral met with officials from Hanwha Ocean at its shipyard in Geoje, 390 km south of Seoul, for similar discussions. Hanwha officials briefed Caudle on the company's plan to expand its business from maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work on U.S. Navy logistics support vessels to MRO for combatant ships, and eventually to new-build naval vessel programs.
"Hanwha Ocean aims to remain the U.S. Navy's most reliable partner and a strong contributor to the Korea–U.S. alliance. We are fully prepared to support the MASGA project and its successful implementation," Hanwha Ocean CEO Kim Hee-cheol said. The visit is seen as a key step in strengthening shipbuilding ties between the two allies.