Korea seeks to expand US naval cooperation from MRO to shipbuilding

Korea is seeking to expand naval cooperation with the United States from MRO to building U.S. support and combat vessels. Kim Il-dong said Korean shipbuilders have won 12 U.S. Navy MRO contracts since 2024, including five this year. He said MRO experience could lead to combat vessel maintenance and eventually shipbuilding, while U.S. constraints in shipyards and supply chains are pushing Washington to look to allies. The seminar was co-hosted by AMCHAM and Rep. Yu Yong-weon’s office at the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Kim Il-dong said Korean shipbuilders have won 12 U.S. Navy MRO contracts since 2024, including five this year.

The seminar on Korea-U.S. defense industrial cooperation was co-hosted by AMCHAM and the office of Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the People Power Party.

Kim said a U.S. presidential memorandum issued in August included the so-called Finland model and called for examining new acquisition approaches for up to three types of vessels, including surface combatants, oilers and strategic sealift ships.

DAPA is watching three areas for cooperation: surface combatants, support vessels, and the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship program.

Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries are participating with U.S. companies in concept design work for the NGLS program, with possible cooperation extending to detailed design and construction.

Published Sep 10, 2026 4:11 pm KST

Updated Sep 10, 2026 6:12 pm KST

Seoul sees opportunities as Washington looks to allies to ease shipbuilding constraints

Defense Acquisition Program Administration Vice Minister Kim Il-dong delivers a keynote speech during the 2026 AMCHAM-National Assembly Policy Seminar on the Future of Korea-U.S. Defense Cooperation at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Bahk Eun-ji

Korea is seeking to expand its naval cooperation with the United States beyond maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to the construction of U.S. support and combat vessels, as Washington looks to its allies to help ease constraints in its shipbuilding capacity.

Korean shipbuilders have won 12 U.S. Navy MRO contracts since 2024, including five this year, according to Kim Il-dong, vice minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). But Kim said the significance of those contracts goes beyond the number of vessels serviced.

“MRO is not an end in itself, but a gateway to broader cooperation,” Kim said during a policy seminar on Korea-U.S. defense industrial cooperation at the National Assembly, Wednesday. “The two countries should work to build on the experience gained through MRO and extend it to combat vessel maintenance and, eventually, shipbuilding."

The seminar was co-hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) and the office of Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the People Power Party.

Kim said Korean shipyards have been learning U.S. Navy procedures as well as its quality and security requirements through MRO projects, giving them experience that could pave the way for more complex work.

The push comes as the U.S. struggles to expand its fleet amid constraints in its domestic shipbuilding industry. Kim said aging shipyards, labor shortages and a weakened supply chain have made it difficult for the U.S. to increase production capacity quickly, prompting Washington to look to allies like Korea while rebuilding its own industrial base.

One possible approach is the so-called “Finland model,” which Kim said was included in a U.S. presidential memorandum issued in August. It called for examining new acquisition approaches for up to three types of vessels, including surface combatants, oilers and strategic sealift ships.

In the Finland model, vessels could initially be built overseas to speed up procurement, with production methods and technology then transferred to the U.S. for follow-on construction.

James Kim, chairman and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM), delivers welcome remarks during a seminar on the future of Korea-U.S. defense cooperation at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

“The memorandum does not mean that a specific program or overseas construction project has been decided,” Kim said. “What is significant is that it has opened a new acquisition approach linking overseas construction with the rebuilding of the U.S. industrial base.”

DAPA is watching three areas in particular.

Kim said Korea is preparing for possible cooperation on surface combatant ships based on its experience designing and building the Chungnam-class frigate. Support vessels could offer a more immediate opportunity, as funding related to overseas construction of strategic sealift ships and oilers has been included in both the U.S. administration’s budget proposal and congressional discussions.

Combat vessels face greater hurdles, however, with Congress remaining cautious about allowing warships to be built overseas.

Another potential area for cooperation is the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) program. Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries are participating with U.S. companies in concept design work, with the possibility of cooperation extending to detailed design and construction, according to Kim.

The effort is part of a broader push to shift bilateral defense cooperation from Korea’s purchase of U.S. weapons toward joint development, production and sustainment.

“It is time to think about what Korea and the U.S. can build together,” Yu said in his opening remarks. “There are many areas where the two countries can work together, from joint production to MRO, follow-on logistics support and supply chains.”

Yu said procurement rules, export controls and technology security remain obstacles that need to be addressed.

“Developing together, producing together and sustaining together can become another pillar that makes the Korea-U.S. alliance stronger,” he said.

James Kim, chairman and CEO of the AMCHAM, also called for deeper industrial ties.

“We have an opportunity to move this partnership to the next level through greater co-development and co-production, co-sustainment and a deeper integration of our defense industrial bases,” Kim said.

He noted that such cooperation will require policy and institutional frameworks that support long-term investment, strengthen supply chain resilience and provide greater predictability across procurement cycles.

韩国正寻求扩大与美国的海军合作，从维护、修理和大修（MRO）领域拓展到建造美国海军的支援舰艇和作战舰艇。金日东表示，自2024年以来，韩国造船企业已赢得12份美国海军MRO合同，其中5份是今年获得的。他指出，MRO经验有助于拓展作战舰艇的维护，并最终实现造船业务。与此同时，美国造船厂和供应链方面的限制正迫使华盛顿寻求盟友的帮助。此次研讨会由美国商会和国会议员俞永元办公室于周三在国会联合举办。

金日东表示，自 2024 年以来，韩国造船企业已赢得 12 份美国海军维修、修理和大修 (MRO) 合同，其中 5 份是今年的合同。

韩国-美国国防工业合作研讨会由美国商会和国民力量党议员俞永元办公室联合主办。

金表示，美国总统8月份发布的一份备忘录包含了所谓的芬兰模式，并呼吁研究多达三种类型舰艇的新采购方法，包括水面作战舰艇、油轮和战略海运舰。

DAPA 正在关注三个领域的合作：水面作战舰艇、支援舰艇和美国海军的下一代后勤舰艇计划。

韩华海洋和三星重工正与美国公司一起参与 NGLS 项目的概念设计工作，合作范围可能扩展到详细设计和建造。

发布于2026年9月10日下午4:11（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月10日韩国时间下午6:12

首尔方面认为，华盛顿寻求盟友放松造船限制，这为首尔提供了机遇。

韩国国防采办计划管理局副部长金日东周三在首尔国会议员办公室大楼举行的2026年美国商会-国会政策研讨会上发表主旨演讲，主题为“韩美防务合作的未来”。（韩国时报 朴恩智 摄）

韩国正寻求扩大与美国的海军合作，从维护、修理和大修 (MRO) 扩展到建造美国的支援舰艇和作战舰艇，因为华盛顿希望盟友能够帮助缓解其造船能力的限制。

据韩国国防采办计划管理局（DAPA）副部长金日东透露，自2024年以来，韩国造船企业已赢得12份美国海军维护、修理和大修（MRO）合同，其中5份来自今年。但金日东表示，这些合同的意义远不止于维修舰艇的数量。

金在周三于国会举行的韩美国防工业合作政策研讨会上表示：“维护、修理和大修（MRO）本身并非目的，而是通往更广泛合作的途径。两国应努力积累MRO方面的经验，并将其推广到作战舰艇维护，最终扩展到造船领域。”

本次研讨会由韩国美国商会（AMCHAM）和国民力量党议员俞永元办公室联合主办。

金表示，韩国造船厂通过MRO项目学习美国海军的程序以及质量和安全要求，积累了经验，这为他们开展更复杂的工作铺平了道路。

在美国国内造船业面临诸多限制，难以扩大舰队规模之际，韩国政府提出了这一建议。金正恩表示，老旧的造船厂、劳动力短缺和供应链薄弱等问题，使得美国难以迅速提升产能，促使华盛顿在重建自身工业基础的同时，寻求韩国等盟友的帮助。

其中一种可能的方案是所谓的“芬兰模式”，金正恩表示，该模式已被纳入美国总统8月份发布的一份备忘录中。该备忘录呼吁研究多达三种类型舰艇的新采购方案，包括水面作战舰艇、油轮和战略海运舰。

在芬兰模式下，船舶最初可以在海外建造以加快采购速度，然后将生产方法和技术转移到美国进行后续建造。

韩国美国商会（AMCHAM）会长兼首席执行官金杰（James Kim）周三在首尔国会议员办公室大楼举行的韩美防务合作未来研讨会上致欢迎辞。（韩联社）

金表示：“这份备忘录并不意味着已经决定了具体的计划或海外建设项目。其意义在于，它开辟了一种新的采购方式，将海外建设与美国工业基础的重建联系起来。”

DAPA 特别关注三个领域。

金表示，韩国正基于其设计和建造忠南级护卫舰的经验，为未来在水面作战舰艇领域开展合作做准备。支援舰艇项目可能是一个更为直接的机会，因为美国政府的预算提案和国会讨论中都已包含了用于海外建造战略运输舰和油轮的资金。

然而，作战舰艇面临着更大的障碍，因为国会仍然对允许在海外建造军舰持谨慎态度。

另一个潜在的合作领域是美国海军的下一代后勤舰（NGLS）项目。据金先生透露，韩华海洋和三星重工正与美国公司共同参与概念设计工作，未来合作有可能扩展到详细设计和建造阶段。

这项努力是推动双边防务合作从韩国购买美国武器转向联合研发、生产和维护的更广泛举措的一部分。

“现在是时候思考韩国和美国可以共同建设什么了，”余在开幕致辞中说道。“两国可以在许多领域开展合作，从联合生产到维护、维修和大修，再到后续物流支持和供应链。”

余先生表示，采购规则、出口管制和技术安全仍然是需要解决的障碍。

他说：“共同发展、共同生产、共同维持，可以成为加强韩美同盟的又一支柱。”

美国商会主席兼首席执行官詹姆斯·金也呼吁加强产业联系。

金表示：“我们有机会通过更深入的共同开发、共同生产、共同维护以及更紧密地整合我们的国防工业基地，将这种伙伴关系提升到一个新的水平。”

他指出，这种合作需要政策和制度框架来支持长期投资，增强供应链韧性，并提高采购周期的可预测性。