Government Official: "Possible Visit to South Korea Being Reviewed for Mid-Next Month or Later"
Hanwha Vice Chairman Kim Dongkwan's Ties May Lead to Hanwha Ocean Visit
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is reportedly considering a visit to South Korea next month. If Secretary Hegseth's visit is confirmed, he would be the first cabinet-level official to visit since the launch of the second Trump administration, and it is highly likely that he will visit domestic shipbuilding companies.
On the 27th, an official from the defense industry stated, "I understand that at the working level, the possibility of a mid-next-month visit to Korea is currently being reviewed, and a visit to domestic shipbuilding companies is also being considered as part of the schedule."
Although Secretary Hegseth's visit schedule has not been finalized, given his focus on U.S. Navy shipbuilding projects, the likelihood of visiting domestic shipbuilders such as Hanwha Ocean is high. The second Trump administration has been continuously sending 'love calls' to South Korea, a leading nation in shipbuilding and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), to counter China's maritime hegemony.
Last November, as president-elect, Trump spoke with President Yoon Suk-yeol, saying, "I am well aware of South Korea's world-class capabilities in warship and shipbuilding, and we need to cooperate closely with Korea not only in ship exports but also in the MRO sector," highlighting cooperation with South Korea.
Moreover, the U.S. Congress has introduced legislation such as the Navy Readiness Assurance Act, which would allow U.S. allies like South Korea to build U.S. Navy ships at their domestic shipyards, further increasing the potential for cooperation.
Currently, the U.S. Navy requires at least 355 warships but only possesses 291, making force enhancement essential.
Hanwha Ocean is mentioned as a possible shipbuilding company that Secretary Hegseth might visit. Hanwha Ocean recently acquired the U.S. shipyard Philly Shipyard, and Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan met Secretary Hegseth at President Trump's inauguration ceremony held on the 20th of last month (local time). However, the company has not issued an official statement regarding Secretary Hegseth's possible visit, stating, "We are not aware of any such plans."
It is also reported that Secretary Hegseth's visit to Korea is likely to take place after the joint U.S.-South Korea exercise '2025 Freedom Shield (FS)' is conducted.
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