Trump says US will look at South Korean firms to boost naval power

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would explore shipbuilding cooperation with South Korea and other countries to bolster US naval power.

Speaking at a defense innovation summit at the US Army War College in Pennsylvania, Trump emphasized the need to expand the US Navy and said, "We'll probably be looking at some companies coming in from South Korea and other places."

"They are working with us on ships," Trump said, adding that the United States would purchase "some ships that are made outside of the region." He then said, "We need a lot of ships for the Navy," and added, "Our ships are aging and we had gotten away from it."

It remains somewhat unclear whether Trump's reference to "ships made outside of the region" means vessels built outside the United States. Federal law prohibits the construction of all Navy ships — and their major hull and superstructure components — at foreign shipyards.

Nevertheless, the Trump administration has been pursuing plans to have US Navy warships designed and built at allied shipyards, as the American shipbuilding industry grapples with severe labor shortages, soaring construction costs and chronic delivery delays. Trump's direct mention of South Korean shipbuilders has drawn particular attention to whether the US may eventually allow allied nations to build American naval vessels abroad — and whether South Korea stands to benefit.