SEOUL -- Things are looking up for South Korea's shipbuilders after a prolonged slump, as new orders pour in and global trade gets a boost from government stimulus-induced consumer demand during the coronavirus pandemic.
Beginning in the early 1970s and led by Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea overtook Japanese rivals and dominated the global industry for decades. But in recent years, China has taken advantage of lower costs to seize the mantle as the world's biggest shipbuilding nation.
