US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan was set to visit South Korea's leading shipbuilders, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. and Hanwha Ocean Co., Wednesday, according to industry sources, as Washington seeks to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sector under President Donald Trump.
Phelan, on a two-nation Asia trip also involving Japan, plans to visit HD Hyundai Heavy's headquarters in Ulsan, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and Hanwha Ocean's shipyard in Geoje, also in the southern region of the country, the sources said.
He was expected to meet with the companies' top executives, including HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun and Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, to discuss potential collaboration in areas of naval shipbuilding, and maintenance, repair and overhaul.
Phelan's visit comes as Trump has stressed the need for the revival of the US shipbuilding industry and the importance of partnering with allies, including South Korea, a global leader in naval vessel construction.
Before arriving in South Korea, Phelan visited Japan, where he toured local shipyards and met with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani to explore bilateral cooperation in naval ship maintenance.
During his Senate confirmation hearing earlier this year, Phelan highlighted Hanwha Ocean's acquisition of Philly Shipyard in the US last year, calling it a very important opportunity to attract South Korean capital and technology into America. (Yonhap)
