HD Hyundai Heavy Industries files defamation complaint against Hanwha Ocean

Industry

Published: 07 May. 2024, 19:32

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries files defamation complaint against Hanwha Ocean

Officials from Hanwha Ocean hold a press conference on March 5 after filing a police complaint against HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, alleging that executives from their rival were responsible for a convicted breach of military secrets, which included Hanwha Ocean’s warship design. [YONHAP]

Officials from Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries filed a criminal complaint against Hanwha Ocean for alleged misrepresentation of facts and defamation in connection with the leak of military secrets, police said Tuesday.

The parties lodged the complaint with police Friday, alleging that Hanwha Ocean had intentionally distorted the truth and defamed the firm by releasing redacted records from the investigation of the leak to media, according to the police.

HD Hyundai employees were convicted in November of acquiring military secrets related to the Korean Next-Generation Destroyer (KDDX) project and sharing them on their company server between 2012 and 2015.

Despite the conviction, the state arms procurement agency allowed HD Hyundai in February to bid on the KDDX project to build a 6,000 ton-class Aegis destroyer, determining that the company's CEO and executives were unlikely to have been involved in the incident.

Subsequently, Hanwha Ocean, a major shipbuilder and one of the biggest rivals of HD Hyundai in the naval market, held a series of press conferences in March to challenge the arms procurement agency's decision and released some investigation records, including interrogation reports, as evidence of HD Hyundai executives' involvement.

It also requested that the police investigate the executives' involvement in the leak.

In the complaint, the HD Hyundai officials insisted that the investigation records released by Hanwha Ocean were intentionally excerpted and edited and clearly contradicted their actual statements and intent.

“Our employees are suffering mental pain due to Hanwha Ocean's unilateral disclosure of investigation records,” another HD Hyundai official said. “The company will take corresponding measures in the future.”

Yonhap