The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and the Korea-America Association held an industrial cooperation conference highlighting opportunities for collaboration in ship maintenance, repair, overhaul (MRO), and construction with the United States. Amid intensifying global trade retaliations, Korean and American experts agreed that Korea should capitalize on opportunities in the fields of shipbuilding, defense, energy, AI, and semiconductors.
The conference included 120 participants with notable figures like Choi Joong-kyung, president of the Korea-America Association and national investment cooperation ambassador, and Park Il-joon, KCCI vice president, addressing attendees. Choi emphasized that the synergy between Korea’s production capacity and America’s advanced technology could yield significant benefits beyond security and diplomacy, positioning Korea as a key economic and industrial partner under Trump’s second administration.
During discussions, experts in shipbuilding and defense noted the aging condition of U.S. vessels and limited construction capabilities, suggesting collaborative opportunities in MRO and shipbuilding. This was supported by Robert Peters from The Heritage Foundation, who pointed out the advantages of ship MRO collaboration, emphasizing the importance of amending the Jones Act to enhance shipbuilding cooperation.
In the energy sector, experts proposed increasing LNG imports from the United States and strengthening nuclear power collaboration. Yoo Seung-hoon from Seoul National University highlighted that Korea could leverage its position as a key trading partner by increasing LNG imports from an oversupplied U.S. market. Former U.S. Energy Deputy Secretary Mark Menezes stated that expanding LNG imports would be a strategic move to alleviate trade imbalances and further nuclear cooperation following a recently established memorandum of understanding.
AI and semiconductor industry experts called for enhanced cooperation in AI foundational models and application services. Kim Chang-wook from BCG emphasized the need for Korean firms to utilize U.S.-led AI models and proposed shared investments in data centers and GPU leasing as potential collaboration strategies.
James Kim, Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, stressed that expanding strategic industrial cooperation between Korea and the U.S. must be aligned with creating a sustainable trade environment, reducing non-tariff barriers, and implementing regulatory reforms to maximize trade potential.