The $7.8 trillion project for the introduction of the 'Korea Destroyer neXt generation (KDDX)' has been delayed again. In a situation where there is a disagreement between the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and private committee members regarding the detailed design and the construction method for the lead ship (ship 1), it has been decided to re-evaluate the project execution method. The decision on the KDDX contractor is expected to be made by the next government.
According to the DAPA on the 24th, the project subcommittee that met from 2 p.m. that day was unable to pass the basic plan for the KDDX detailed design and lead ship construction. Among the six agenda items discussed by the subcommittee, KDDX was the number one item. A government official noted, "It was decided to withhold the matter after inspections at the Ministry of National Defense and an explanatory process to the National Assembly are completed to ensure stable project advancement." As a result, it cannot be brought up at the Defense Industry Promotion Committee (DIPC) scheduled for the 30th.
During the subcommittee meeting that day, it is reported that after discussing the KDDX project promotion plan for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, there was consensus that the Ministry of National Defense would check whether proper reviews had been conducted and present an explanation to the National Assembly's Defense Committee. The DAPA's position is that the KDDX project, which has already been delayed for over 1.5 years, should start by signing a contract with the design company as it was, but some private committee members have continuously opposed this stance.
The KDDX project involves the construction of six domestic Aegis destroyers, weighing 6,000 tons each, with an investment of $7.8 trillion by 2030. Hanwha Ocean is responsible for the conceptual design, while HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has undertaken the basic design, which was completed in December 2023. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries maintains that it should proceed with a private contract as per the usual practice where the company that performed the basic design takes on the detailed design. However, Hanwha Ocean argues that competitive bidding is necessary due to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' guilty verdict for military secrets theft.
The decision regarding the KDDX project is expected to be made by the next government. With the DIPC scheduled for the 30th yet to take place, the future dates for the subcommittee meeting have not been set. The subcommittee meeting is determined by the agreement of the commissioners. Some have speculated that it will be difficult to hold the subcommittee before the presidential election on June 3.