Hanwha Philly Shipyard says it has the capability to build a nuclear-powered submarine for the U.S. Navy, according to a company statement issued on Thursday that cited remarks by Alex Wong, global chief strategy officer at Hanwha Group.
Speaking during Hanwha’s media day at the Philadelphia yard on Monday, Wong pointed to what he described as a strong U.S. government commitment to nuclear-powered submarine capability for the United States and its allies. He said Hanwha is prepared to build such submarines in Philadelphia when governments are ready.
The comments come as South Korea’s shipbuilders position for President Donald Trump’s drive to revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry. Seoul has pledged $150 billion for the U.S. shipbuilding sector under a trade deal signed last month that reduced U.S. tariffs on imports of Korean automobiles to 15% from 25%.
At a press conference on Monday, Trump said Hanwha would participate in building frigates for the U.S. Navy. He referred to Hanwha as “a good company” while pointing to its planned $5 billion expansion at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, which Hanwha bought in 2024 for $100 million.
Executives also said the company is recruiting talent with Virginia-class submarine expertise, citing what they see as strong interest in Washington in expanding the U.S. submarine industrial base for such designs. Separately, Jongwoo Cho, head of shipyard operations at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, said the company is in discussions with potential partners to buy land or secure an additional dock for the expansion, without providing details.
