U.S. asks South Korean shipbuilders about Navy work
· UPIJuly 8 (Asia Today) -- The United States has formally asked South Korean shipbuilders about their capacity to design and build naval vessels, raising expectations that bilateral shipbuilding cooperation could accelerate.
The move comes as South Korea and the United States discuss the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again initiative. Industry officials said it is the first time the U.S. government has sent such a request to South Korean shipyards.
According to shipbuilding and defense industry officials Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Defense recently sent requests for information to South Korean shipbuilders for projects involving combat vessels and oilers.
A request for information is a preliminary step used by governments to gather market data before pursuing a project, including information on price, delivery schedules and technical capacity.
The request is expected to give South Korean defense companies a potential new opportunity after the industry was disappointed by the recent loss of Canada's submarine procurement program.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean are known to have submitted materials to the U.S. Defense Department detailing their combat ship design and construction capabilities. Three shipbuilders, including Samsung Heavy Industries, responded to a separate U.S. Navy request involving medium-sized oilers.
"It is true that we received and responded to requests for information related to combat vessels, oilers and maintenance, repair and overhaul," an industry official said.
The inquiry is drawing attention because U.S. naval shipbuilding has faced delays, rising costs and capacity constraints, while South Korean shipbuilders have global competitiveness in commercial and naval vessel construction.
Industry officials say the requests do not guarantee contracts, but they could become an early step toward broader cooperation in U.S. naval shipbuilding, support vessels and maintenance work.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260708010003165