The United States has recently conveyed to the South Korean government its desire to entrust South Korean shipbuilders with the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of five to six U.S. Navy vessels. This marks a concrete step in South Korea-U.S. cooperation in the shipbuilding sector, an area emphasized by U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to multiple government sources, officials from the U.S. Department of the Navy contacted South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) late last month to propose the MRO project. Discussions included specific plans and the names of the naval vessels requiring maintenance within this year.
The vessels in question are five to six non-combat ships, such as oceanographic survey ships and ocean surveillance ships. The U.S. Navy has also indicated the potential to expand the South Korea-U.S. MRO collaboration, suggesting that up to ten naval vessels could be entrusted to South Korean shipbuilders. This is the first time since the inauguration of the second Trump administration in January that the U.S. has made a practical proposal regarding South Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation.
Hyo-Ju Son hjson@donga.com