Korea-US Shipbuilding Cooperation Center Opens, Marking Full-Scale Shipbuilding Industry Cooperation

Korea and the United States opened a shipbuilding cooperation center in Washington, D.C., and officially began cooperation in the shipbuilding sector. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held an opening ceremony on the 23rd (local time) and discussed ways to expand cooperation with major figures from both countries in attendance. At this event, 15 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) in four areas were signed for the joint growth of the shipbuilding industry. The scope of cooperation includes building Team Korea, strengthening supply chain links, training personnel, and joint technology development, with participation from Korea's three major shipbuilders, related organizations, and U.S. partner companies. The government also plans to promote a joint research project worth 120 billion won over the next five years. The project includes tasks such as ship design optimization, autonomous welding, painting automation, and autonomous navigation, and both Korea and the U.S. intend to expand cooperation in the shipbuilding industry ecosystem and technology.