Washington: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday stressed the importance of producing tangible results from shipbuilding cooperation with South Korea, pledging to help address regulatory roadblocks that Korean enterprises may face in the United States.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lutnick made the remarks during an event marking the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington-a platform to facilitate the US$150 billion investment in the U.S. shipbuilding sector that Seoul has committed to as part of last year's bilateral trade and investment deal.

"The center is not an outcome. It is the most important work that produces the outcome of how many ships that are built," Lutnick emphasized. He further stated that dialogues and meetings are only preliminary steps and highlighted the necessity for actual ship production in America.

He noted that the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump will evaluate the center based on tangible outcomes. The metrics will include capital deployment, facility modernization, worker training, supply chain establishment, and the overall number of ships produced domestically.

Lutnick reiterated the need for the United States to manufacture both military and commercial ships within its borders, affirming Washington's commitment to assist Korean companies in overcoming regulatory challenges in the U.S.

"We are committed to removing barriers to production," Lutnick stated, offering the Department of Commerce's support to Korean enterprises encountering regulatory difficulties. He assured that successful establishment and expansion of operations in the U.S. would lead to long-term prosperity.

Highlighting South Korea's $150 billion investment commitment, Lutnick described it as more than a monetary figure, but as an opportunity for significant industrial revitalization in American shipbuilding. He expressed confidence in the combined maritime success driven by U.S. maritime policies and advanced technology.