Lee pledges government backing to boost South Korea's shipbuilding and defense tech

President Lee Jae Myung presided over the launch in Ulsan of the Daeho Kim Jong-seo, the sixth and final ship in South Korea's home-grown Aegis destroyer program, marking the end of a 24-year effort that began in 2002. He declared that the government will actively support the shipbuilding sector to preserve its technological lead and transform it into a new engine of national and regional economic growth. Lee highlighted the industry's evolution from humble origins to a world-class capability that now builds everything from LNG carriers to advanced warships.

Emphasizing self-reliant defence, he promised to push forward projects such as nuclear-powered submarines and carrier-type vessels, and to streamline research collaboration between the military, academia, and industry. The Daeho Kim Jong-seo, named for a historic general, carries a domestically developed sonar system and enhanced ballistic-missile-defence functions, bolstering the three-axis defence concept. Lee also referenced upcoming cooperation with the United States under the MASGA initiative, which includes a $150 billion investment in U.S. shipbuilding.