Duckworth, Kim Lead Senate Delegation to South Korea & Japan to Strengthen National Security & Economic Ties, Expand Auxiliary Shipbuilding and Quantum Partnerships
Senators’ efforts come after Duckworth secured a provision in the committee-passed NDAA to help increase our nation’s sealift capacity and workforce
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—and U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) are leading a Senate delegation to South Korea and Japan to strengthen economic ties between our countries as well as bolster national security by expanding quantum cooperation and exploring auxiliary shipbuilding partnerships. As our sealift and auxiliary fleet continues to be significantly smaller and less competitive than too many adversaries and allies abroad, this week the Senators met with government, military and business leaders in South Korea—a global leader in the shipbuilding industry—where they discussed how the two nations can work together to surge production of auxiliary vessels, strengthen our fleet readiness and support our sealift capacity and workforce in the event of conflict or wartime scenario. Photos of the Senators’ trip in South Korea can be found on Senator Duckworth’s website.
“I’m proud to lead this Senate delegation to South Korea and Japan alongside Senator Kim to build on our nations’ discussions on shipbuilding, expand quantum partnerships and strengthen the economic ties that benefit the people of each of our countries,” said Senator Duckworth. “Our sealift and auxiliary fleet is essential to our national security and the safety of our troops—and yet our fleet remains both aging and insufficient in number to support our brave warfighters around the world. It’s critical that we continue efforts to expand American shipbuilding here at home, we must also work closely with our partners and allies abroad to ensure our auxiliary fleet is as strong as possible in the event of conflict and beyond.”
“America’s alliances with South Korea and Japan are more important than ever, which is why I’m proud to join Senator Duckworth on this delegation visit,” said Senator Kim. “Our collective futures will be stronger if we work together with common cause and common goals like growing America’s shipbuilding capabilities and expanding partnerships on next generation technologies like quantum computing and chips. With my deep family connections to South Korea and the region and large diaspora communities in New Jersey, I will work to be a bridge between the United States and these vital allies in the Indo-Pacific contributing to our national and economic security.”
This official trip to Asia comes after Senator Duckworth successfully secured a provision in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill text—which passed through the SASC committee last month—that would require the Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of the Army to identify opportunities to enter joint ventures between U.S. military, U.S. companies and foreign partners to co-produce auxiliary vessels and small boats.
To help explore and identify opportunities to reach this goal, Senators Duckworth and Kim spoke with President Lee Jae Myung, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun, Minster of National Defense Ahn Gyu-Back along with other government and military leaders in South Korea. Additionally, Senator Duckworth held a shipbuilding roundtable with representatives of Hanwha Ocean, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. and Samsung Heavy Industries—the “Big Three” shipbuilders of South Korea.
After the Senators complete their trip in South Korea, the Senators will visit Japan to meet with various companies and corporations in the shipbuilding, energy, quantum and technology sectors, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, members of the Keidanren Japanese Business Federation and the Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO). More details of the Senators’ meetings in Japan will be made public in the coming days.
Duckworth is a proven leader when it comes to strengthening our relations with Indo-Pacific nations and improving security in the region—which she has done while successfully securing significant international investments in Illinois. Duckworth’s trip to South Korea builds on her trip to the country in 2022 and 2021 where she worked to strengthen bilateral relations between our nations and participate in discussions about how we can continue our partnership—both militarily and economically—into the future. During her visits, the Senator also underscored how Illinois is uniquely positioned for greater investment and increased exports with international partners as a hub of agriculture, manufacturing and technology.
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