Seoul, May 16
The chief executive officer (CEO) of HD Hyundai, South Korea's leading shipbuilding conglomerate, met with US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer to explore cooperation in the shipbuilding sector, the company said on Friday.
HD Hyundai CEO Chung Ki-sun and Greer held the meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers' meeting, held on Jeju Island from Thursday to Friday, the company said in a press release.
The meeting marked the first official dialogue between the USTR and South Korea's shipbuilding industry, reports news agency.
During the talks, Chung emphasised the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation in shipbuilding through joint technology development, process collaboration and workforce training programmes, the company said.
"We deeply appreciate the United States' commitment to rebuilding its shipbuilding industry. HD Hyundai is fully prepared and willing to contribute wherever our expertise is needed," Chung said.
Addressing concerns over the dominance of Chinese cranes in U.S. ports, Chung introduced HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co., an affiliate with crane manufacturing capabilities.