Hanwha Ocean Submits Complaint on KDDX Design Leak
First Action Since Defense Acquisition Program Administration Allowed Bidding
The company name is displayed on a large crane at the Hanwha Ocean headquarters in Aju-dong, Geoje-si, Gyeongnam. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Hanwha Ocean announced on the 4th that it has submitted a complaint to the National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters, requesting an investigation and punishment regarding the involvement of an executive from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in the leak of the concept design for the Korean next-generation destroyer (KDDX).
This is a follow-up measure to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration's (DAPA) decision on the 27th of last month not to restrict HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' bidding for the KDDX project, despite the controversy over the military secret leak.
Previously, employees of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries were found guilty last November of violating the Military Secrets Protection Act by secretly acquiring military secrets related to the KDDX and sharing them through the company's internal network.
Regarding this, DAPA discussed whether to allow HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to participate in the KDDX project bidding but did not restrict participation, stating that "there was no objective evidence confirming the involvement of representatives or executives, which would constitute a breach of the integrity pledge."
Hanwha Ocean responded, saying, "Despite the organized criminal acts of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, DAPA exempted sanctions on the grounds that no representatives or executives have been criminally punished," and added, "Hanwha Ocean cannot dismiss concerns that serious and clear criminal acts may be concealed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' 'scapegoating' tactics."
They further stated, "We hope that a fair competitive environment within the minimum legal framework will be restored, and we urge an investigation into the representatives and executives of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, who committed criminal acts unprecedented in the history of the defense industry." Hanwha Ocean will also hold a briefing related to this matter on the morning of the 5th at the Hanwha Building in Jung-gu, Seoul.
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