Adm. Daryl Caudle, the U.S. chief of naval operations, visited major South Korean shipbuilders HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean over the weekend to review ongoing cooperation efforts between the two countries, the companies said Sunday.

Caudle first arrived at HD Hyundai’s Ulsan shipyard, located about 350 km southeast of Seoul, on Saturday. During the visit, Chairman Chung Ki-sun outlined the company’s shipbuilding technologies and exchanged views with the admiral on advancing the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA) initiative. According to HD Hyundai, the discussions focused on areas where South Korean shipbuilding expertise could contribute to the U.S. program.

The MASGA initiative, led by the South Korean government, is intended to support the revival of the U.S. shipbuilding sector through cooperation with South Korean builders. HD Hyundai cited Chung as saying the company would continue working to bolster U.S. Navy readiness and contribute to the project’s progress.

The company added that Caudle’s visit would help move forward consultations with U.S. counterparts regarding technological cooperation in naval ship construction and supply-chain coordination.

Later the same day, Caudle travelled to Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard, roughly 390 km south of Seoul, for talks with company officials. Hanwha Ocean briefed him on its plan to broaden its role in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations for U.S. Navy assets. The company said it aims to expand from existing work on logistics support vessels to MRO for combatant ships, and eventually to participation in new-build naval programs.

CEO Kim Hee-cheol stated that Hanwha Ocean intends to remain a reliable partner for the U.S. Navy and a consistent contributor to the Korea–U.S. alliance, reiterating its readiness to support the MASGA project.

Source: Yonhap News