Washington: New U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel lauded the collaboration between South Korea and the United States in the shipbuilding sector, describing it as a significant expansion of the bilateral alliance. She emphasized that enhancing this alliance is her primary focus.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Steel made these remarks at the inauguration of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington. This center is designed to support a $150 billion investment in the U.S. shipbuilding industry, a commitment made by Seoul as part of last year's trade and investment agreement between the two countries.

Steel highlighted several cooperative initiatives, including Hanwha Group's $5 billion plan for a shipyard in Philadelphia, HD Hyundai's investment fund with Cerberus Capital Management, and Samsung Heavy Industries' partnership with Vigor Marine Group. These initiatives are part of South Korea's commitment to rejuvenate America's shipbuilding sector under the "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA)" initiative.

The ambassador noted that these efforts demonstrate the mutual benefits recognized by both governments and industries through these investments. She pointed out that the establishment of the KUSPC showcases the potential achievements when the two nations align their industrial strategies.

Steel reiterated the importance of the shipbuilding collaboration, stating that it is a visible testament to the strong relationship between the U.S. and South Korea. However, she stressed that this is just one aspect of a more extensive alliance that she aims to strengthen during her tenure.

In a brief interaction with Yonhap News Agency, Steel mentioned her plans to depart for South Korea next week, indicating that she might assume her role in Seoul by the end of the month. Steel, who previously served as a congresswoman, will fill the ambassador position vacant since January last year. She is the second Korean American to serve as the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, following Sung Kim's tenure from 2011-2014.