HJ Junggong Joins MRO Project for Naval Vessels

Visit by Neil Koprowski, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea
Discussion on MRO Projects... Acceleration of Business Participation Expected

Neil Koprowski, Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Korea (Brigadier General), visited HJ Heavy Industries. Following U.S. President Donald Trump's signing of an executive order aimed at revitalizing the American shipbuilding industry, it is expected that domestic shipbuilders with competitiveness in this field will accelerate their participation in MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) projects.

On the 14th, HJ Heavy Industries announced that Commander Koprowski visited the Busan Yeongdo Shipyard on the 10th and discussed cooperation plans related to MRO projects with CEO Yu Sang-cheol and other executives.

After touring HJ Heavy Industries' construction facilities and naval vessels under construction along with his staff, Commander Koprowski reportedly evaluated that "HJ Heavy Industries, located in downtown Busan, has sufficient capabilities to carry out large-scale maintenance and construction work." He also stated, "Maintenance within the operational area reduces maintenance time and costs while greatly enhancing operational readiness," adding, "Cooperation with the world-class Korean shipbuilding industry is an important example symbolizing the firm commitment and ongoing partnership of the Korea-U.S. alliance."

HJ Heavy Industries has been preparing in earnest since last year by forming a dedicated task force to sign the Maintenance Support and Repair Agreement (MSRA), a preliminary agreement and qualification requirement with the U.S. Navy Supply Systems Command. Recently, the company expanded its talent pool by recruiting former Special Warfare Commander Jeon In-beom, who served at the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command and the United Nations Command, as an outside director.

As Korea's first naval defense industry company, HJ Heavy Industries has been recognized for its capabilities through over 50 years of experience in major overhaul, performance improvement projects, and various naval vessel MRO projects for large transport ships, high-speed vessels, and various support ships.

CEO Yu Sang-cheol stated, "HJ Heavy Industries possesses specialized personnel, state-of-the-art facilities, and advanced technology covering everything from vessel design, construction, performance upgrades to MRO projects. We plan to actively participate not only in the MRO projects required by the U.S. Navy but also in exploring overseas markets."