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Samsung Heavy Industries opens San Diego research center to support U.S.-Korea MASGA initiative

Published: 13 Mar. 2026, 15:39

Samsung Heavy Industries Chief Operating Officer Lee Wang-keun, front row second from left, and officials from San Diego State University pose for a photo after opening a joint research center in San Diego on March 12. [SAMSUNG HEAVY INDUSTRIES]

Samsung Heavy Industries said Friday it has established a research center in the United States to support a Seoul-Washington joint initiative aimed at revitalizing the U.S. shipbuilding industry through partnerships with Korean firms.

The SHI-SDSU Advanced Maritime Center (SSAM Center), jointly launched with San Diego State University, will explore cooperation to support the revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry in areas such as AI-based production automation, robotics and environmentally friendly technologies, the company said in a press release.

According to Samsung Heavy Industries, the center will serve as a hub for promoting the U.S.-Korea MASGA initiative. MASGA refers to “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again,” and was one of the key programs that helped Korea secure a tariff agreement with the United States last year.

The SSAM Center will also work to strengthen its local network by identifying joint research projects with U.S. universities, government agencies and related institutions, while securing top-tier talent, it added.

“The establishment of a joint research center in the U.S. marks the starting point for the full implementation of MASGA, which has been long in preparation,” Lee Wang-keun, chief operating officer of Samsung Heavy Industries, said.

Yonhap