Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, a South Korean shipbuilder, recently submitted a $3.5-billion bid for a Brazilian warship contract. In an e-mail interview, Mingi Hyun, research fellow at the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy (KIMS), discussed South Korea's naval shipbuilding sector. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of KIMS.
WPR: What is the current state of the South Korean military shipbuilding sector?
Mingi Hyun: Korea possesses a capable naval shipbuilding sector, composed of four government-designated naval shipbuilders: Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction (HHIC) and STX Offshore & Shipbuilding. These shipbuilders have constructed some of the world's most sophisticated naval vessels, such as the KDX-3 Aegis destroyers, Type 214 submarines, and state-of-the-art LPX amphibious vessels.