- Princess Anne meets with HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Kisun and tours shipbuilding and engine facilities
- Reviews naval vessel and engine operations involving partnerships with British firms Rolls-Royce and Beaufort
- Longstanding ties with the British royal family; "HD Hyundai will support the growth of the U.K.'s shipbuilding industry"
SEOUL, South Korea, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Princess Royal of the British royal family visited HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' (HHI) shipyard in Ulsan on July 14 as part of her trip to South Korea, where she reviewed the company's shipbuilding capabilities and discussed potential areas of cooperation between South Korea and the United Kingdom.
HHI said that Princess Anne, accompanied by Sir Timothy Laurence and British Ambassador to South Korea Colin Crooks, visited the company's headquarters in Ulsan.
HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Kisun, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Vice Chairman Lee Sangkyun and President Joo Wonho, along with other senior executives, met with Princess Anne and her delegation to showcase the company's world-class shipbuilding technologies and industry leadership and exchange views on ways to strengthen cooperation between South Korea and the United Kingdom in the shipbuilding and maritime sectors.
The visit comes as the British government works to foster its own shipbuilding and maritime industries. Princess Anne toured HHI's shipbuilding and naval vessel construction facilities, as well as its engine factory, to observe the company's world-leading shipbuilding capabilities firsthand and receive briefings on its partnerships with British defense firms, including Rolls-Royce and Beaufort.
Rolls-Royce has worked with HHI since 2012, when the two companies began cooperating on a Republic of Korea Navy frigate program. Under the partnership, Rolls-Royce supplies its MT30 gas turbine, a key propulsion system component, while HHI integrates and delivers the complete propulsion package. The solution is used on the Navy's next-generation frigates, helping strengthen South Korea's maritime defense capabilities.
Beaufort, a supplier of survival equipment for naval personnel, has partnered with HHI since 2013, following the delivery of submarine life-saving equipment. A range of Beaufort products has been installed on vessels built by HHI, including offshore patrol vessels currently under construction for the Philippine Navy.
"The United Kingdom is more than a partner country; it is a special partner that has been part of HD Hyundai's journey from the beginning," Chung said. "With our world-class technologies and shipbuilding capabilities, we will support the continued growth and development of the U.K.'s shipbuilding and maritime industries."
HD Hyundai's relationship with the British royal family spans generations. The late founder Chung Ju-yung was awarded an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1977 in recognition of his contributions to promoting trade between South Korea and the United Kingdom. In 1983, he also met Princess Anne in London while supporting Seoul's bid to host the Olympic Games.
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