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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit held at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 15th (local time). / Reuters-Yonhap

U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 15 that he will look into shipbuilding companies in South Korea and other regions to strengthen U.S. naval power. He also suggested the possibility of purchasing ships built outside the U.S., although he did not specify the exact target or scope of his comments. This comes as the U.S. Congress pushes to amend laws so that allies can build non-combat naval vessels, drawing keen attention to whether maritime cooperation between Seoul and Washington will expand.

Trump: "We will look at South Korean companies", hinting at buying foreign ships to replace aging fleet

President Trump directly mentioned potential cooperation with South Korean shipbuilders while pointing out the shortage of U.S. Navy vessels at the Defense Innovation Summit, held at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

"We will probably look at some companies coming from South Korea and other places," he said, adding that "they are cooperating with us on shipbuilding." He also stated, "We will purchase some ships built outside the region." However, it is still unclear whether "ships built outside the region" specifically means vessels constructed outside the United States.

Trump added, "We need many ships for our Navy," pointing out that "our ships are aging and we had stepped away from it."

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Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. / Reported by Correspondent Han Man-joo from Philadelphia

Senate Armed Services Committee allows overseas procurement of up to two non-combat vessels

Previously, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027 in the middle of last month, incorporating a provision that allows the procurement of up to two bulk fuel tankers and strategic sealift ships from foreign shipyards. The scope of overseas construction was strictly limited to non-combat vessels from allied nations. Additionally, the committee attached conditions requiring that such overseas procurement must align with U.S. national security interests and that the contracted companies must make reciprocal investments of a corresponding scale in the U.S. shipbuilding and maritime sectors.

Under current federal law, the foreign construction of U.S. Navy vessels is prohibited. If the Senate Armed Services Committee's bill is finalized, the procurement of non-combat vessels through allied shipyards will become possible on a limited basis. The Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee has also drafted a preliminary Fiscal Year 2027 defense appropriations bill that narrows the ban on foreign construction budgets from all naval vessels to combat vessels only.

If these restrictions are lifted, it is expected to positively impact the $150 billion MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) project, which is being pursued under an agreement between the leaders of South Korea and the United States.

With President Trump's remarks about looking into South Korean companies aligning with Congress's legislative moves to permit foreign construction, the passage of the bill and the determination of specific procurement targets remain the next key variables.

                                                                                                           Han Man-joo