Will Korean Shipbuilding Benefit?... Trump Says "May Buy Advanced Ships from Other Countries to Rebuild Shipbuilding Industry"

"We May Request Funding from Congress"

U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed the United States' commitment to rebuilding its shipbuilding industry, stating that the country may purchase ships from other nations with competitive shipbuilding capabilities.

EPA Yonhap News

On the 10th (local time), during a White House Cabinet meeting, President Trump said, "We will rebuild the shipbuilding industry," adding, "We may need to request funding from Congress. We could also buy ships from other countries that are close to us and have excellent shipbuilding records."

This statement came after National Security Advisor Mike Waltz briefed President Trump on the expected effects of the 'Rebuilding American Shipbuilding' executive order signed the previous day, as well as the shipbuilding order status between China and the U.S. last year.

Advisor Waltz said, "Last year, Chinese shipyards secured 1,700 shipbuilding orders, while U.S. shipyards secured only five."

In response, President Trump said, "We basically no longer build ships. That is ridiculous," adding, "It will be a very big business for us in the near future." He continued, "However, we can do business with countries that are very good at shipbuilding," emphasizing, "We will be able to order top-of-the-line ships from these countries."

President Trump's remarks appear to emphasize the need to revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry from a national security perspective in response to China’s shipbuilding industry, a global hegemonic competitor, and to obtain congressional approval for purchasing funds to buy warships or merchant ships from allied countries with shipbuilding competitiveness.

Attention is focused on whether South Korea, which holds a leading position in global shipbuilding competitiveness, could benefit from this. On the 8th, President Trump mentioned shipbuilding as a field of cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea during his first phone call with Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.