AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Kim Hee-su
Kim Hee-su김희수
ReporterMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Seoul City Hall & Defense, Foreign Affairs
Kim Hee-su is a bilingual reporter at AJU Press, covering defense and foreign affairs. Before joining AJP in 2025, she worked at The Korea Times, where she wrote interview stories, including a profile of North Korean defector Kim Gum-hyok, and produced digital content. She also previously worked as a researcher for KBS News 9’s International News Department, supporting correspondents in 10 countries around the world. She graduated from the University of Toronto in Canada with a double major in Book and Media Studies and East Asian Studies. "I'm driven by storytelling."
Latest by Kim Hee-su
  • RIMPAC begins with S. Korean Navy taking first command role
    RIMPAC begins with S. Korean Navy taking first command role SEOUL, June 26 (AJP) - The U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific exercise, the world’s largest multinational maritime drill, has begun in and around Hawaii, with the South Korean Navy taking charge of a major command role for the first time. The biennial exercise, known as RIMPAC, began Wednesday and will run through July 31 in waters off Hawaii and across the Pacific, according to the U.S. Defense Department. About 30,000 personnel from multiple countries are taking part. The Pentagon described the exercise as “a unique training opportunity” for allies and partners to strengthen their collective capabilities and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. South Korea, which has participated in RIMPAC since 1990, is serving for the first time as commander of the combined maritime component, overseeing operations by the multinational naval forces participating in the drill. The commander of the U.S. Third Fleet serves as the head of the combined task force, while subordinate commands include the combined maritime and air components and a combined joint special operations task force. South Korea dispatched the 8,200-ton Jeongjo the Great, its newest Aegis destroyer, from Jeju Naval Base earlier this month. The 3,000-ton Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine and a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft are also participating for the first time. U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Jeffrey Jablon said at a press briefing in Hawaii on Wednesday that the exercise involves 30 countries, 31 surface ships, five submarines and about 200 aircraft, according to Defense One. Jablon said between 30 and 35 tests involving unmanned systems would be conducted and form a major part of this year’s exercise, without providing further details. He added that the war between the United States and Iran had not affected the exercise. This year marks the 30th RIMPAC. Led by the U.S. Third Fleet, the exercise is designed to protect Pacific sea lanes, strengthen joint responses to maritime threats and improve interoperability among participating forces. 2026-06-26 09:28:21
  • Korean Air to absorb Asiana, launch new carrier Dec. 17
    Korean Air to absorb Asiana, launch new carrier Dec. 17 SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - South Korea’s transport ministry has conditionally approved the merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, clearing the way for the country’s two largest full-service carriers to launch an integrated airline on Dec. 17. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Thursday it had completed its review of Korean Air’s application to merge with its subsidiary Asiana under the Aviation Business Act. The two airlines signed a merger agreement on May 14 and subsequently applied for government approval. The ministry said it conducted a review comparable to that required for issuing a new airline license, drawing on advice from specialists in aviation, consumer protection, employment, law and accounting, as well as assessments by research institutes and accounting firms. It concluded that the merger met the relevant legal requirements and granted approval following a final licensing advisory meeting. The approval, however, came with conditions aimed at safeguarding aviation safety and passenger convenience. The ministry said it would regularly monitor whether Korean Air carries out the plans submitted during the review process. The integration process began in November 2020, when state-run Korea Development Bank decided to sell Asiana to Korean Air. By December 2024, the deal had received approval from competition authorities in 13 jurisdictions, including the United States, the European Union and Japan, as well as South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission. Korean Air plans to complete the legal merger and formally launch the integrated carrier on Dec. 17. “The merger of the country’s two largest full-service carriers will have a significant impact on the broader aviation market,” said Lee So-young, director general for aviation policy at the ministry. Lee also urged Korean Air to fulfill its social responsibilities as South Korea’s leading flag carrier, beyond merely complying with government regulation and oversight. 2026-06-25 17:38:07
  • S. Korea to retain conscription while expanding tech-focused NCO track
    S. Korea to retain conscription while expanding tech-focused NCO track SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - A stable career in high-tech military service is the incentive South Korea is dangling to attract young people as it grapples with a shrinking pool of military recruits while facing a persistently hostile North Korea. The outline is to retain the country's decades-old mandatory military service system while giving military-age men greater choice between serving as enlisted conscripts and pursuing a longer-term, technology-focused noncommissioned officer (NCO) track, the Defense Ministry said Thursday. The ministry's clarification came a day after President Lee Jae Myung renewed his call for a "selective volunteer service" system aimed at reducing reliance on short-term conscripts and increasing the number of professional personnel. In response to a question from AJP at a regular briefing, a ministry spokesperson said the proposal would not amount to a full transition to an all-volunteer force. "While maintaining the current conscription system, we are reviewing ways to expand the choice between serving as an enlisted soldier and serving as an NCO," the spokesperson said. "That is the basic concept of the selective volunteer service system." South Korea requires most able-bodied men to complete military service, reflecting a security environment in which the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Active-duty conscripts currently serve 18 months in the Army or Marine Corps, 20 months in the Navy and 21 months in the Air Force. The conscription system has long supplied the bulk of South Korea's rank-and-file troops. But the pool of eligible recruits is shrinking because of the country's low birth rate, prompting debate over how the military can maintain its strength while relying more heavily on career personnel and advanced technology. Under the proposed system, men subject to mandatory service would still be required to join the military but could choose between regular enlisted service and a longer-term track as specialized NCOs. The ministry plans to gradually expand what it calls "technology-intensive NCO" positions as the military restructures around artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. The positions are expected to cover areas such as manned-unmanned combat systems, cyber operations and artificial intelligence, where personnel require more extensive training and longer service than ordinary conscripts. The ministry is also designing programs to help personnel translate the technical skills acquired during military service into civilian careers after discharge. South Korea imposes compulsory military service only on men, unlike a handful of countries, including Norway, Sweden and Denmark, that operate gender-neutral conscription systems. The unequal burden has long fueled frustration among some young men, who often describe military service as time taken away from university, job preparation or the early stages of their careers. Economic incentives are also under consideration to encourage more eligible recruits to choose the specialized NCO track, the spokesperson said. Lee outlined the broader concept Wednesday during a visit to a Marine Corps unit on Yeonpyeong Island near the western maritime border with North Korea. The proposal forms part of Seoul's broader effort to respond to the shrinking pool of military-age men while transforming the armed forces into a smaller, more technology-driven military. The demographic pressure is already becoming evident. According to population projections by Statistics Korea, the number of 20-year-old men is expected to fall from 334,000 in 2020 to 236,000 in 2025, a decline of nearly 30 percent in five years. The longer-term outlook remains challenging despite a recent rebound in births. South Korea's total fertility rate rose to 0.80 in 2025 from 0.75 a year earlier, while the number of births increased 6.8 percent to 254,500. Of those born last year, 130,800 were boys, accounting for about 51.4 percent of all births. That cohort will reach the typical age for military service in the mid-2040s, and the number ultimately available for active duty will be smaller after health classifications and alternative forms of service are taken into account. South Korea's active-duty force stood at about 450,000 personnel as of July 2025. Enlisted soldiers account for about 60 percent of the force, putting their number at roughly 270,000. A 2025 study by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses projected that, if current service periods and personnel policies remain unchanged, the military would be able to maintain only about 160,000 to 170,000 enlisted personnel by 2040. Compared with the current level, that would represent a decline of roughly 100,000 to 110,000 troops, or about 40 percent. Still, the plan faces significant hurdles. Its success will depend on whether the military can attract and retain enough qualified NCOs at a time when applications for junior leadership positions are already declining, as well as whether the government can sustain the higher pay, training and benefits needed to make longer service attractive. A poorly managed transition could leave units short of experienced personnel before professional troops and new technologies are ready to compensate for fewer conscripts. Key details of the selective volunteer service system remain under review. 2026-06-25 17:13:40
  • More Korean ships clear Hormuz, but hull fouling delays departures
    More Korean ships clear Hormuz, but hull fouling delays departures SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - Five more Korean-operated vessels stranded inside the Strait of Hormuz have passed through the waterway and resumed normal operations, South Korea’s Oceans Ministry said Thursday, reducing the number inside the strait to 13. The five ships are carrying a total of 21 Korean crew members, with one of them bound for South Korea, according to the ministry. A total of 87 Korean nationals remain aboard vessels inside the strait, including 33 serving on foreign-operated ships. The departures come as vessels gradually resume passage following an agreement between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war. The ministry said it would continue working with the Foreign Ministry, overseas diplomatic missions and relevant countries to ensure the prompt and safe passage of the remaining Korean vessels. However, the reopening of the strait may not lead to an immediate return to normal shipping, as many tankers stranded in the Persian Gulf for months are facing another obstacle: marine growth accumulated on their hulls. Barnacles, mussels and seaweed attached to the vessels can significantly reduce fuel efficiency and, in severe cases, damage propellers, according to a CNN report. Large tankers must undergo professional underwater cleaning before resuming normal operations. A very large crude carrier may have about 14,000 square meters of underwater hull surface to clean, with a team of five or six divers taking four to five hours to service one vessel. With about 600 tankers reportedly waiting in the region, limited cleaning capacity could create another bottleneck and delay departures. The cost of underwater hull cleaning has also risen to tens of thousands of dollars per vessel amid surging demand. The developments suggest that while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is gradually resuming, restoring the global energy supply chain may take considerably longer. 2026-06-25 15:21:10
  • Canadas sub project tests viability of 12-vessel fleet
    Canada's sub project tests viability of 12-vessel fleet SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - Canada's multibillion-dollar plan to acquire 12 advanced submarines is increasingly becoming a test of workforce capacity as much as military procurement, with the country's marine industry projected to face a shortage of more than 8,000 skilled workers by the end of the decade. The emerging labor crunch is raising questions over how Ottawa will staff two specialized submarine maintenance hubs planned for the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, just as it prepares to choose between South Korea's Hanwha Ocean and Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS, for one of its largest-ever defense contracts. Training institutions are currently supplying less than half of the workers needed to meet future demand, according to the Canada-based Conference of Defence Associations Institute. The challenge underscores that selecting a submarine builder may be the easiest part of the project. Each coastal maintenance facility is expected to require between 450 and 650 permanent workers to support six submarines, excluding additional government employees and contractors. The facilities will depend heavily on marine pipefitters, hull fabricators and engineers capable of maintaining sophisticated combat and electronic systems. Such expertise cannot be developed quickly, raising the risk that the submarine program will compete directly with existing naval shipbuilding projects for talent. For the West Coast, Ottawa has narrowed its options to two sites on Vancouver Island: land in West Colwood on the western side of Esquimalt Harbour and a location within the Esquimalt Graving Dock, according to The Globe and Mail, citing government documents. On the East Coast, officials are reviewing Wright's Cove in Dartmouth and the Naval Armament Depot in Bedford, a military facility that has supported the Royal Canadian Navy since World War II. Ottawa plans to select one site on each coast, creating two support hubs capable of servicing a fleet of 12 submarines that will replace Canada's aging Victoria-class vessels. The submarines themselves are expected to cost between 60 billion and 80 billion Canadian dollars ($42 billion to $56 billion). Once maintenance infrastructure and decades of operations are included, total lifecycle costs could exceed 100 billion Canadian dollars, according to the CDA Institute. British Columbia Premier David Eby has already warned that the province's limited pool of skilled tradespeople poses a "severe constraint" for upcoming maritime projects. The labor issue is particularly sensitive around Halifax, where Irving Shipbuilding is building 15 River-class destroyers for the Royal Canadian Navy. Irving has cautioned that a submarine maintenance facility could siphon workers from the destroyer program, with both projects drawing from the same limited pool of specialized tradespeople. Ottawa said workforce development efforts under its National Shipbuilding Strategy have expanded to help meet future demand. But time is tight. Canada plans to retire its four Victoria-class submarines beginning in 2036, leaving less than a decade to build support infrastructure, establish supply chains and train the workforce needed to sustain a new fleet. Jeffrey Collins, director of the Palmer Canadian Leadership Institute and a former Canadian Defense Department policy analyst, likened the technical complexity of submarine support to sustaining crewed spacecraft. Regardless of whether Ottawa adopts a government-owned, contractor-operated model or relies more heavily on private operators, he said, staffing pressures will remain unavoidable. "Canada's acquiring a dozen submarines and they're going to need a lot of people to sustain them," Collins said to the Canadian media outlet. "Whether it's a government-owned, contractor-operated model or a complete private sector equivalent, that's going to be a pressure already." Canada's submarine race is evolving beyond a contest between South Korean and German technology into a test of whether the country can build and sustain a 12-vessel industrial ecosystem. 2026-06-24 17:26:30
  • Korean Air Force holds first live-fire drill against drone swarm
    Korean Air Force holds first live-fire drill against drone swarm SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - The South Korean Air Force has conducted its first live-fire exercise against a swarm of drones, using Vulcan cannons, a portable laser system and shotguns to shoot down 50 targets. The Air Force Missile Defense Command carried out the exercise Tuesday at a training range on the country’s west coast in response to the growing threat posed by drone swarms on modern battlefields, the Air Force said Wednesday. Eight Vulcan cannons opened fire simultaneously on 50 drones approaching at low altitude from about 1 kilometer away, creating a dense wall of fire that brought down 44 of them. The remaining six drones were intercepted at close range using one portable laser system and five shotguns. “This was our first exercise to defend against the growing threat of drone swarms using existing assets, including Vulcan cannons,” said Col. Nam Hyung-joo, the command’s chief of intelligence and operations. “We will continue to develop our counter-drone capabilities based on the results and lessons learned from the exercise,” he added. 2026-06-24 17:03:23
  • Extra 4 ships run by Korean carriers exit Hormuz, 26 Koreans aboard
    Extra 4 ships run by Korean carriers exit Hormuz, 26 Koreans aboard SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - Four more ships operated by South Korean carriers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz following a U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at ending the war, Seoul’s Oceans Ministry said Wednesday. The vessels, which had been waiting inside the strait, completed their passage and are now sailing normally, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said. A total of 26 South Korean crew members are aboard the four ships. One of the vessels is bound for South Korea. The latest departures came after two other ships run by South Korean carriers left the strait under the U.S.-Iran agreement, reducing the number of Korea-related vessels remaining inside the waterway to 18. A total of 108 South Korean seafarers remain in the area, including 75 aboard ships operated by South Korean carriers and 33 aboard foreign vessels. The ministry said it would continue providing the remaining 18 vessels with updates and transit information to help shipping companies draw up their own sailing plans and ensure safe passage. Ships stranded in the area because of the Middle East war have begun leaving the Strait of Hormuz following the U.S.-Iran agreement, with more Korea-operated vessels expected to follow in stages. The two ships that earlier left the strait were identified as HMM’s 16,000-TEU container ship Daon and the very large crude carrier Universal Glory. HMM said Wednesday that both ships had safely cleared the strait and were continuing their voyages. The Universal Glory, carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil, is expected to arrive at Yeosu Port in mid-July. 2026-06-24 10:22:25
  • Team Korea throws gas project to sweeten sub pitch to Canada
    Team Korea throws gas project to sweeten sub pitch to Canada SEOUL, June 23 (AJP) - The Canadian submarine contest is getting bigger and bigger as decision day nears, with Team Korea led by Hanwha Ocean throwing in a $16 billion floating liquefied natural gas project and pitching a broader economic partnership that could help Ottawa reduce its dependence on the United States as an energy market to counter Germany's NATO leverage. The Korean team is targeting a strategic vulnerability. Canada is the world's fifth-largest natural gas producer in 2025, behind the United States, Russia, Iran and China, with marketed output of about 218.5 billion cubic meters, according to OPEC's 2026 Annual Statistical Bulletin. Yet its gas exports remain overwhelmingly tied to a single market across the border. In 2025, Canada exported 8.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, excluding shipments from the newly opened LNG Canada terminal, and "nearly all" of it went to the United States, according to the Canada Energy Regulator. LNG Canada separately exported the equivalent of an average 295 million cubic feet per day to East Asia after shipments began in June. For decades, Canada had little incentive to spend billions of dollars liquefying gas for overseas shipment because its extensive pipeline network provided direct access to the U.S. market. That dependence became less advantageous after the U.S. shale boom took off in the mid-2000s, as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing unlocked vast quantities of gas trapped in shale and other tight rock formations. The resulting surge in U.S. production reduced demand for Canadian gas in some regions and eventually turned the United States into a formidable competitor in global LNG markets. U.S. dry natural gas production reached a record 39 trillion cubic feet in 2025, while LNG exports surged from 0.5 billion cubic feet per day in 2016 to 15 billion cubic feet per day last year. The United States is now the world's largest LNG exporter, ahead of Australia and Qatar. Canada therefore remains heavily dependent on the U.S. as a pipeline gas customer while increasingly competing with it for LNG buyers in Europe and Asia. South Korea has emerged as an attractive market for that diversification. The country imported 46.7 million tonnes of LNG in 2025, making it one of the world's largest buyers. About 80 percent of those purchases were made under long-term contracts, offering the kind of predictable demand that can underpin financing for multibillion-dollar export projects. State-run Korea Gas Corp., or KOGAS, accounted for more than 73 percent of the country's LNG imports and operates five receiving terminals with 77 storage tanks and a combined capacity of 12.16 million kiloliters. Geography also works in western Canada's favor. According to KOGAS, cargoes from Kitimat on Canada's Pacific coast can reach Incheon in 12 to 14 days over a distance of roughly 8,500 kilometers. That compares with about 17 days for shipments from Qatar and 31 days for cargoes departing from the Sabine Pass terminal on the U.S. Gulf Coast. The Canadian route also bypasses both the Strait of Hormuz and the Panama Canal, reducing exposure to geopolitical disruptions, congestion and canal restrictions. KOGAS estimates the shorter route could lower transportation costs by 20 to 50 percent compared with some of its existing supply routes. That advantage was demonstrated earlier this month when an LNG Canada cargo arrived at KOGAS' Incheon terminal after departing Kitimat on May 20. It was the first LNG Canada shipment delivered to the terminal, a critical supply hub serving the Seoul metropolitan area. The LNG Canada project transports gas produced in western Canada through a 670-kilometer pipeline to its liquefaction plant in Kitimat, where it is processed and loaded onto carriers bound for overseas markets. KOGAS has been involved in the project since signing a joint feasibility agreement in 2010. It later acquired a 5 percent stake, securing access to about 700,000 tonnes of LNG annually from the project's first phase. "In an energy crisis, the decisive issue is not the price but whether supplies are available at all," a KOGAS official said. "Having volumes that we can freely secure and deploy can play an important role in safeguarding energy security." KOGAS is also pursuing participation in a second phase of LNG Canada, which would add another 14 million tonnes of annual production capacity. Those existing commercial ties illustrate why South Korea could serve as an anchor market for further Canadian LNG development. Hanwha's proposed floating LNG, or FLNG, project near Prince Rupert is separate from LNG Canada, but it follows the same strategic logic: western Canadian gas could be liquefied on the Pacific coast, shipped to Asia without passing through major maritime chokepoints and sold to established buyers in South Korea. Unlike LNG, FLNG is not a separate type of fuel. The distinction lies in where the gas is processed. A conventional LNG project sends natural gas through pipelines to a large terminal on land, where it is cooled to about minus 162 degrees Celsius, stored in tanks and loaded onto carriers. An FLNG facility places much of that process — gas treatment, liquefaction, storage and loading — aboard a large floating structure moored offshore or near the coast. That model could prove particularly attractive for Canada. British Columbia counted 19 proposed LNG export projects in 2017, but Canada did not begin large-scale LNG exports until 2025. Many projects also require costly pipelines stretching hundreds of kilometers from inland gas fields to the coast. LNG Canada, for example, relies on a 670-kilometer pipeline, in addition to its terminal, environmental approvals and agreements with First Nations communities. An FLNG facility could reduce the amount of large-scale infrastructure required on land, though it would not eliminate the need for pipelines, permits and Indigenous consultation. That breadth helps explain why Hanwha has linked the project to its campaign for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. Canada has said the submarine procurement should generate long-term economic benefits and strengthen its domestic marine and defense industries, rather than simply deliver up to 12 vessels. The proposed FLNG project allows Hanwha to argue that selecting the South Korean bidder could support a wider industrial relationship spanning naval construction, offshore engineering, energy exports and shipbuilding. The project would not automatically qualify toward Hanwha's obligations under Canada's Industrial and Technological Benefits policy, and the memorandum does not make the investment conditional on a submarine award. Still, it broadens Hanwha's pitch from the performance and cost of its KSS-III submarine to a larger proposition: South Korea could help Canada build a new Pacific export industry while becoming a customer for the gas it produces. As Germany leans on NATO interoperability and European defense ties, Team Korea is increasingly making a different argument — that the submarine deal is not merely about replacing an aging fleet but about helping Canada diversify its economy, its export markets and ultimately its strategic dependence on the U.S. 2026-06-23 16:41:06
  • Korea touts edge in Canada submarine bid despite NATO concerns
    Korea touts edge in Canada submarine bid despite NATO concerns SEOUL, June 23 (AJP) - South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said Tuesday that Seoul remained hopeful about its bid for Canada’s next-generation submarine program. “We are hopeful as we await the result,” Kim told reporters after returning from visits to Kazakhstan, Europe and the Middle East. South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean is competing with Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS, for Canada’s plan to acquire up to 12 conventionally powered submarines. Asked about speculation that the announcement could be delayed until July or that the contract could be divided between the Korean and German bidders, Kim said Seoul had received no official notice of any change. “We have not received anything officially, so we are waiting until the end of June,” he said. Kim acknowledged that South Korea could face a disadvantage if Canada places greater priority on strengthening cooperation with NATO. Still, he said the Korean offer was stronger in other areas. “We believe we are more competitive in terms of the submarine itself and the industrial package,” Kim said. Hanwha Ocean is offering a version of its KSS-III submarine, while TKMS has proposed its Type 212CD platform. The multibillion-dollar program is expected to include long-term maintenance, infrastructure and industrial cooperation in addition to the vessels. Kim also said South Korea had made progress in negotiations with the European Union over new steel import restrictions scheduled to take effect July 1. The EU plans to reduce its overall zero-tariff steel import quota from 33.82 million tonnes to 18.35 million tonnes, a cut of about 46 percent, while raising tariffs on imports exceeding the quota from 25 percent to 50 percent. South Korea currently holds a quota of about 2.58 million tonnes and has been negotiating to limit the reduction applied to its shipments. “There was a consensus that even if the overall quota is reduced, ours would not be cut by the full 46 percent,” Kim said, without disclosing a final figure. Asked whether Seoul had offered concessions in return, Kim said it had not. “We are not giving the EU anything in particular,” he said. “We strongly argued that the measure violates the free trade agreement and that we could also take retaliatory action.” The government plans to announce support measures for domestic steelmakers once South Korea’s final quota is confirmed. On the first project under South Korea’s $350 billion investment pledge to the United States, Kim said the newly launched Korea-U.S. Strategic Investment Corp. was proceeding with the required procedures. He declined to say whether a single project or several projects would be announced initially. Kim also said South Korean companies operating in the Middle East were interested in taking part in reconstruction efforts once conditions improve. But he said the government remained cautious about Iran because U.S. and European sanctions remain in place and negotiations involving Tehran have made limited progress. “There is still uncertainty over what risks could arise,” Kim said, adding that the government may consider ways to support reconstruction efforts once those risks are reduced. Kim said the government was considering when to lift the fuel price cap and whether to lower it first. International oil prices remain elevated but have fallen from wartime levels, creating room to lower the price cap, he added. 2026-06-23 11:13:03
  • HD Hyundai Heavy challenges KDDX evaluation over security penalty
    HD Hyundai Heavy challenges KDDX evaluation over security penalty SEOUL, June 22 (AJP) - HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has filed a formal objection to the evaluation results for South Korea’s next-generation destroyer program after losing to Hanwha Ocean by less than one point, industry sources said Monday. The company submitted the objection to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration over the bidding process for the detailed design and construction of the lead vessel under the Korean Destroyer Next Generation, or KDDX, program. HD Hyundai Heavy is challenging a 1.2-point security penalty tied to a military security breach, which proved decisive in the close contest. HD Hyundai Heavy scored 0.6425 points higher than Hanwha Ocean in technical capability but received a final score of 93.3675 after the penalty was applied. Hanwha Ocean finished with 93.9542 points, beating its rival by 0.5867 points. HD Hyundai Heavy had earlier sought an injunction to prevent the security penalty from being extended, but the court rejected the request. The company has since appealed. The latest objection is expected to intensify the dispute surrounding the selection of the KDDX contractor. DAPA plans to complete the remaining procedures and select a preferred bidder as early as July. It aims to sign a contract by late July or early August. The KDDX program calls for the construction of six 6,000-ton destroyers using domestic technology at an estimated cost of 7.8 trillion won ($5.1 billion). The program was originally scheduled to move into detailed design and construction in 2024 after the basic design was completed in December 2023. But the project has been delayed by about two years as DAPA struggled to resolve the increasingly heated competition between the two shipbuilders. 2026-06-22 17:59:35