Korea seeks to expand US naval cooperation from MRO to shipbuilding
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 Korea Times reports that Korea is seeking to expand its naval cooperation with the United States beyond maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) to shipbuilding. This shift in focus comes as Washington seeks to alleviate constraints in its shipbuilding capacity by leveraging the capabilities of its allies. Korean shipbuilders have secured 12 MRO contracts with the U.S. Navy since 2024, including five in the current year, according to Kim Il-dong, vice minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
Kim emphasized that MRO serves as a gateway to broader cooperation, highlighting the need for the two countries to build on the experience gained through MRO projects and extend it to combat vessel maintenance and eventually shipbuilding. Korean shipyards have been learning U.S. Navy procedures and quality requirements through MRO projects, acquiring experience that could facilitate more complex work in the future.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Korea seeks to expand US naval cooperation from MRO to shipbuilding koreatimes.co.kr
