South Korea is considering purchasing liquefied natural gas (LNG) and sharing the cost of stationing U.S. troops in the country as bargaining chips in negotiations with the U.S., which President Trump is seeking to revive, but these are not sufficient materials, and the future is uncertain. South Korea is the second largest shipbuilding nation after China and can produce high value-added vessels such as LNG carriers.
Shipbuilding companies have started to consider investing in shipyards in the US. On April 8, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the country’s largest company, announced a partnership with a U.S. shipyard, while Hanwha Ocean acquired a major U.S. shipyard in 2024. However, the competitiveness of U.S. shipyards is low due to rising labor costs. It is unclear whether the US shipbuilding industry can be boosted by the Trump administration’s support measures alone, and there are also cautious opinions in South Korea about actively investing in US shipyards. PSR
By Akihiro Komuro, Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia
