HD Hyundai names Lee Sang-kyun to lead shipbuilding in 2026 executive reshuffle

HD Hyundai announced its 2026 president-level appointments on Oct 7, the company said. Lee Sang-kyun, vice chairman of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, was appointed vice chairman overseeing the group's shipbuilding business, while Cho Min-soo, vice president at the same unit, was promoted to president and named to the newly created post of safety chief representative director. Han Joo-seok of the engine machinery business and Park Chan-hyuk of HD Hyundai Site Solutions were also promoted to president. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]

In his new role, Lee is to coordinate strategy across the group's shipbuilding affiliates — HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Samho — by identifying key tasks, drawing up responses and adjusting work between the companies. The company said the aim is to raise synergies and prepare for uncertainty in the shipbuilding business. Lee is also to lead new businesses, including power generation engines for data centers and entry into the small modular reactor market; one report said this could extend to floating nuclear power plants and nuclear-propelled ships. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]

Safety was the other focus. Cho, described as a shipyard field specialist born in 1966 who has spent his career in shipbuilding, is to serve as a control tower for safety across shipbuilding, offshore, special ships such as warships, and engines. With the appointments, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries moves to a structure with Lee and Cho as co-CEOs, while Keum Seok-ho concentrates on management support. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]

The engine business also received a promotion: Han Joo-seok, born in 1966, studied mechanical engineering at the Naval Academy and joined HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' engine division in 1994, with experience across design, research and development, production and sales, according to the reports. He is to lead an 830 billion won expansion of a plant making data center power generation engines and cooperation among HD Hyundai Marine Engine and HD Hyundai Engine. One report added that the company signed contracts worth 627.1 billion won with the US energy infrastructure company AEG and 956 billion won with Kovan Energy Group, for a cumulative 1.5831 trillion won in US data center power equipment orders this year, on the strength of its HiMSEN engines. Park Chan-hyuk, born in 1962, studied mechanical engineering at Hanyang University and has worked in construction equipment production and quality, including as an overseas corporate head in Europe and China; he was named co-CEO of HD Hyundai Site Solutions in September. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]

The timing drew attention. HD Hyundai has usually announced president-level appointments in November; last year it moved the date to mid-October ahead of an affiliate merger, and this year it came about ten days earlier still. One report said the earlier schedule was interpreted as a pre-emptive response to uncertainty in shipbuilding and a push to strengthen safety management. The company did not state a reason in the documents. [ 5 , 7 ]

Outlets also placed the reshuffle in the context of Chairman Chung Ki-sun's first year, describing a stability-oriented approach rather than a sweeping change of top management, with field-focused appointments intended to consolidate the organization and secure future growth drivers. HD Hyundai said it plans follow-up executive appointments and a management strategy meeting to finalize next year's business plan. [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 ]