President attends naming ceremony at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, symbol of MASGA

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during the naming ceremony of the State of Maine vessel at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pa., Tuesday. Yonhap

PHILADEPHIA — President Lee Jae Myung visited the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia Tuesday to attend the christening ceremony of a national security and multi-mission vessel (NSMV) commissioned by the U.S. Maritime Administration.

The shipyard is a symbolic site of the Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation project, known as Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA), which played an important role in finalizing the recent tariff negotiations between the two countries.

Hanwha Group acquired the shipyard last year, marking the first time a Korean shipbuilding company has taken over a U.S.-based shipyard. The NSMV, named State of Maine, is one of the five vessels ordered by the U.S. Maritime Administration since the acquisition.

President Lee Jae Myung applauds during the christening ceremony of the State of Maine vessel at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pa., Tuesday. Third from right is Kim Dong-kwan, vice chairman of Hanwha Group, and fourth from left is Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Yonhap

In a congratulatory message, Lee noted that some 50 warships built in the Philly shipyard played a role in winning World War II, which helped Korea achieve liberation, and that Korea has now become a global power in the shipbuilding industry.

He highlighted that the 72-year history of the Korea-U.S. alliance will enter a new chapter as a “future-oriented, comprehensive strategic alliance that combines security, economic and technological cooperation” through the Korea-invested shipyard in the U.S.

“South Korea’s shipbuilding industry is embarking on a new journey that will both strengthen U.S. maritime security and contribute to the revival of American shipbuilding. As the president of an allied nation, I take great pride in this milestone,” he said.

“My suggestion to U.S. President Donald Trump — the MASGA project is not only about building huge, state-of-the-art vessels, it is about a vision to restore a faded dream.”

Leveraging world-class expertise and capabilities, the shipyard is set to become one of the United States’ premier shipyards, showcasing cutting-edge shipbuilding technology and revitalizing the industry along America’s Eastern coastline. Korean shipbuilders will invest in U.S. facilities, train skilled personnel and help ensure that modernized production technologies take firm root in the U.S.

“The Korean and U.S. shipbuilding industries will achieve a ‘win-win’ outcome together, and today’s new departure will be recorded as yet another chapter of hope and challenge, written through the strong friendship between our two nations,” the Korean president noted.

The State of Maine vessel is positioned at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pa., Tuesday, for its naming ceremony. Yonhap

Kim Dong-kwan, vice chairman of Hanwha Group, who accompanied Lee’s visit to the shipyard, said the naming ceremony shows the two nations’ cooperation in rebuilding the industry and investing in developing the skills to lead the sector.

“A modern and world-class vessel to foster America’s maritime talent, a vessel that will guarantee America’s maritime security through generations — the State of Maine represents all these values and meanings,” Kim said.

Other participants in the naming ceremony were Korea’s Minister of Industry Kim Jung-kwan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun, along with senior presidential advisors on security and policy. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Sen. Todd Young also attended the ceremony, underscoring both countries’ commitment and expectations for bilateral shipbuilding cooperation.

Founded in 1801 as a U.S. Navy shipyard and privatized in 1997, the Philly shipyard was acquired by Hanwha Group in December last year.