Washington d.c.: Officials from a U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee recently visited shipyards in South Korea operated by major shipbuilders to assess their capabilities in constructing warships, according to sources. This visit, which took place earlier this month, involved eight members from the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the delegation toured the shipyard of Hanwha Ocean Co. in Geoje on July 11, which is located about 330 kilometers south of Seoul. The industry and government sources indicated that the group had also visited the main shipyard run by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. in Ulsan a day prior.
The U.S. officials further inspected the shipyard of Samsung Heavy Industries Co. in Geoje, focusing on the company's shipbuilding capabilities, specifically their replenishment oilers. However, the exact date of this visit was not disclosed.
During their visit to the Hanwha plant, the officials received briefings and directly observed the 3,600-ton Ulsan-class Chungnam frigate and the 3,600-ton Jang Bogo submarine. While at HD Hyundai's facility, they examined the 8,200-ton Aegis-equipped Daeho Kim Jong Seo destroyer and an offshore patrol vessel designated for the Philippine Navy.
An industry insider mentioned that the visit indicates a budding cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. in the shipbuilding sector, highlighting the role of the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee in reviewing the U.S. defense budget. The officials expressed interest in understanding the South Korean companies' shipbuilding capabilities and their plans for investment in the U.S.
This visit suggests that the U.S. Congress is exploring avenues to expand shipbuilding cooperation with South Korea, following an agreement between the countries' leaders after their summit in October of the previous year. However, the Byrnes-Tollefson Amendment, which bans foreign construction of U.S. military vessels, remains a significant obstacle.
Last month, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee passed a revised Defense Appropriation bill for the fiscal year 2027. The bill's provisions were altered to narrow the foreign construction ban to "covered ships" or combat ships, which could facilitate shipbuilding collaboration with South Korea.
The visit also coincides with the U.S. Department of War and the U.S. Navy sending a request for information (RFI) to South Korean shipbuilders regarding their combat vessels and replenishment ships. An RFI is a formal process used in arms procurement to gather information about a supplier's capabilities and cost estimates.