Trump open to Korean shipyards building US warships, Seoul official says

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump have held follow-up discussions regarding the potential for Korean shipyards to build warships for the United States, according to a senior Blue House official.

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Trump appears not to have ruled out the possibility.

During a briefing in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the official stated that Trump "appears not to have ruled out the possibility" of allowing Korean shipyards to construct vessels for the US. However, the official cautioned that further review and working-level discussions are necessary to iron out the specifics.

The issue was first raised during a brief conversation between the two leaders at the G7 summit in June. Trump reportedly asked if it were possible to "quickly build 10 warships" for the US. The recent meeting at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, served as a venue for further dialogue on the matter.

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This was not the first time that Trump expressed interest in the construction of military vessels; the issue was first brought up during the Group of Seven summit.

The Blue House official explained that the variety of ships, including warships, auxiliary vessels, and merchant-type auxiliary vessels, necessitates a detailed examination of provisions according to ship type. "We need to work out the details through working-level discussions and identify and address any areas that remain unclear," the official said.

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We need to work out the details through working-level discussions and identify and address any areas that remain unclear.

Separately, the official addressed concerns from the US State Department regarding South Korea's revised Information and Communications Network Act. The official stated that "adequate communication took place" but acknowledged that Korea needs to provide further explanations. The revised law, which took effect Tuesday, holds media outlets and individuals liable for damages up to five times the amount lost due to the distribution of illegal or false information.

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Since we are not engaging in discriminatory acts but ensuring justifiable measures to protect the interests of our consumers, we need to continue communications while securing benefits.