The Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY) welcomed a Korean worker who participated in the company’s establishment and construction during the 1970s, Chai Gyu Lee, on a special visit nearly fifty years after his first arrival in the Kingdom.  

An emotional reception was held at the company's headquarters, attended by members of ASRY's management and representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Bahrain, in an atmosphere of loyalty and fond memory for the first dry-dock project.

Wael Mirza, ASRY's Post Sales and Commercial Affairs Manager, gave a presentation tracing the yard's growth and milestones.

The Korean worker, who travelled with his family to Manama, appeared thrilled to return to Bahrain, recalling how he helped lay the groundwork while working for Hyundai of Korea.

ASRY's Corporate Communications Manager, Fatema Al Majed, said the company was very proud and pleased to receive one of the people who were involved in its establishment in the 1970s. She explained that it began with an email from his daughter, who wrote that her father longed to return to Bahrain to see how ASRY had moved on, a wish he had carried for half a century. 

Management welcomed the idea and hosted a formal visit that included a tour of ASRY’s facilities with company and embassy representatives in attendance.

During the gathering, Chai Gyu Lee recalled: ‘I arrived in Bahrain in June 1976. It was very hot that summer, and we were working on a sandy shore in a semi-desert area. I wondered whether we could really build a dry dock here. But thanks to determination and the cooperation between Bahrainis and Koreans, we succeeded in delivering the project.’ 

He explained that he took part in building the dry dock and left Bahrain before the first ship arrived, adding: ‘I was then a young, single man representing my country. I worked very hard, and I was able to begin my life afterwards thanks to what I gained from my work at ASRY.’

Chai Gyu Lee spoke about his impressions on returning to Bahrain: ‘Back then Bahrain’s population was small, and the city was nothing like today. When I arrived this time and saw the airport, the roads and the modern buildings, I felt great joy. Bahrain today is number one.’ He said he still holds a special bond with the Kingdom: ‘I lived in workers' housing, and I remember eating in a small restaurant. Now, when I see the skyscrapers and tall buildings, I feel proud that I was part of this path.’ 

Lee also sent a message to ASRY's new generation of workforce: ‘I worked here as a representative of South Korea and gave all I could despite challenges. I urge young people to keep working hard, as great results come only with patience and effort.’

Al Majed said his words were deeply touching, especially when he described ASRY as a home whose memories stay close to the heart no matter how far one travels.  She added that the company takes pride in its story and in the human ties that have linked its first builders and its workforce across the decades.