US envoy highlights shipbuilding cooperation with S. Korea

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel highlighted the potential for greater shipbuilding cooperation between Seoul and Washington after visiting Samsung Heavy Industries’ Geoje shipyard on Thursday. She said combining American and Korean expertise could strengthen both countries’ shipbuilding industries, drive innovation and create opportunities for workers. Her remarks came as South Korea seeks to help revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry through the MASGA initiative. Samsung Heavy Industries established a research center with San Diego State University to explore cooperation in automation, robotics and eco-friendly technologies.

The Geoje shipyard is about 330 kilometers south of Seoul.

Samsung Heavy Industries is the world’s fifth-largest shipbuilder in terms of its existing orders.

The SHI-SDSU Advanced Maritime Center was established to support the revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry.

The center is exploring artificial intelligence-based production automation, robotics and eco-friendly technologies.

Published Oct 23, 2026 3:21 am KST

This photo captured from the X account of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul on Thursday, shows Ambassador Michelle Steel (seventh from left) during a recent visit to a shipyard of Samsung Heavy Industries in Geoje, South Korea. Yonhap

WASHINGTON — U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel on Thursday highlighted the potential for greater shipbuilding cooperation between Seoul and Washington following a visit to a shipyard operated by Samsung Heavy Industries Co.

"By combining American and Korean expertise, we can strengthen our shipbuilding industries, drive innovation and create new opportunities for workers in both countries," she wrote in a post on social media platform X after visiting the Geoje shipyard, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul.

She thanked Samsung Heavy Industries, the world's fifth-largest shipbuilder in terms of its existing orders, for welcoming her and for sharing the company's vision for shipbuilding cooperation.

The remarks come amid South Korea's broader efforts to revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry under the MASGA, or "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again," initiative.

Earlier this year, Samsung Heavy Industries established a research center in San Diego to support the South Korea-U.S. initiative.

The SHI-SDSU Advanced Maritime Center, jointly launched with San Diego State University, was established to explore cooperation to support the revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI)-based production automation, robotics and eco-friendly technologies, according to the company.

美国驻韩国大使米歇尔·斯蒂尔周四访问三星重工巨济造船厂后，强调了首尔和华盛顿在造船领域加强合作的潜力。她表示，结合美韩两国的专业技术，可以增强两国的造船业实力，推动创新，并为劳动者创造更多机会。与此同时，韩国正通过“美韩联合造船集团”（MASGA）计划，寻求帮助美国重振造船业。三星重工与圣地亚哥州立大学合作成立了一个研究中心，旨在探索在自动化、机器人技术和环保技术领域的合作。

巨济造船厂位于首尔以南约330公里处。

按现有订单量计算，三星重工是世界第五大造船企业。

SHI-SDSU 先进海事中心成立的目的是为了支持美国造船业的复兴。

该中心正在探索基于人工智能的生产自动化、机器人技术和环保技术。

发布于2026年10月23日凌晨3:21（韩国标准时间）

这张照片由美国驻首尔大使馆官方账号于周四发布，照片显示美国大使米歇尔·斯蒂尔（左七）近日访问了位于韩国巨济岛的三星重工造船厂。（韩联社）

华盛顿——美国驻韩国大使米歇尔·斯蒂尔周四访问了三星重工公司旗下的一家造船厂后，强调了首尔和华盛顿在造船领域加强合作的潜力。

“通过结合美国和韩国的专业知识，我们可以加强我们的造船业，推动创新，并为两国工人创造新的机会，”她在参观了位于首尔以南约 330 公里的巨济造船厂后，在社交媒体平台 X 上发帖写道。

她感谢三星重工（按现有订单量计算，世界第五大造船企业）的热情接待，并感谢该公司与她分享了在造船合作方面的愿景。

韩国发表上述言论之际，正值韩国通过“让美国造船业再次伟大”（MASGA）倡议，大力振兴美国造船业。

今年早些时候，三星重工在圣地亚哥设立了一个研究中心，以支持韩美合作项目。

据该公司称，SHI-SDSU 先进海事中心是与圣地亚哥州立大学联合成立的，旨在探索合作，以支持美国造船业在人工智能 (AI) 生产自动化、机器人技术和环保技术等领域的复兴。