U.S. Navy Secretary Visits Hanwha Ocean; Vice Chairman Dongkwan Kim Discusses U.S.-Korea Cooperation

Secretary John Fillin Visits Geoje Site in Gyeongnam
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John Fillin, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, recently visited the Hanwha Ocean site in Geoje, Gyeongnam. Dongkwan Kim, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group, met with Secretary Fillin on site to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between South Korea and the United States in the shipbuilding industry. Vice Chairman Kim hinted at securing additional shipyards in the United States and emphasized his intention to further strengthen Hanwha's presence in the North American market.

According to Hanwha Ocean, on the afternoon of April 30, Vice Chairman Kim and Secretary Fillin toured the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet replenishment oiler 'Yukon,' which was undergoing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) at the Geoje site. The Yukon, which Hanwha Ocean was awarded by the U.S. Navy in November 2023, is scheduled to depart next month after completing repairs.

On the 30th of last month, John Fillin, U.S. Secretary of the Navy (third from left), and Dongkwan Kim, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group (fourth from left), along with other officials, are taking a commemorative photo in front of the 'Yukon' ship undergoing maintenance at the Hanwha Ocean site in Geoje, Gyeongnam. Hanwha Ocean

At the site, Secretary Fillin stated, "The relationship between the U.S. Navy and the Republic of Korea's maritime industry goes beyond ship maintenance; it serves as a cornerstone that firmly supports both countries' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region." Vice Chairman Kim commented, "Hanwha Ocean has not only become the first Korean company to acquire a shipyard in the United States, but has also successfully completed MRO projects for the U.S. Navy, establishing itself as a leader in U.S.-Korea maritime defense cooperation."

Hanwha Ocean and Hanwha Systems acquired the Philly Shipyard in the United States in December 2023, marking the first entry of a Korean company into the U.S. shipbuilding industry. Previously, in August 2023, Hanwha Ocean became the first Korean shipyard to win the MRO project for the U.S. Navy's logistics support vessel 'Wally Schirra,' which was delivered in March 2024.

Meanwhile, Hanwha directly purchased a 9.9% stake in Austal, an Australian company that owns shipbuilding facilities in Mobile, Alabama, and San Diego, California, and has invested in a total of 19.9% of Austal's shares.