Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook discusses current issues with labor and management representatives of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries

【Financial News, Ulsan = Choi Su-sang, Staff Writer】  Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook visited HD HHI, which recently concluded its 2026 wage and collective bargaining agreement, and met separately with labor union officials, including branch chief Kim Dong-ha, and executives, including CEO Geum Seok-ho. He thanked them for their efforts during the bargaining process and exchanged views on issues that labor, management, and Ulsan City must address together, including industrial AI transformation (AX), migrant workers, and occupational safety.
According to Ulsan City on the 3rd, Mayor Kim first emphasized worker participation in the industrial AI transformation (AX) process during his visit that day. He said, “Transformation is essential to enhance industrial competitiveness, but labor must not be sacrificed in the process,” and added, “Workers must participate as agents of policy, not as its targets.” He also explained the purpose of the Labor Policy Committee that Ulsan City is working to establish and proposed linking the city’s policies with the experience of implementing the “Special Agreement on Industrial Transition” signed by labor and management at HD HHI.
The labor union also spoke up. On industrial-site safety issues, it raised the need for an industrial accident counseling and support system that subcontracted and migrant workers could easily access. 
Kim Sang-wook, mayor of Ulsan, said he would seek ways to cooperate so that workers could receive the counseling and support they need on the ground, including by strengthening the Labor Human Rights Center and coordinating with relevant agencies. Established in 2020, the Ulsan Labor Human Rights Center is an institution that protects and supports the labor rights of socially vulnerable groups in relatively precarious circumstances, including non-regular workers, subcontracted workers, young people, women, older adults, and workers in emotional labor.

In his meeting with executives, Kim stressed the need to discuss together the city’s policies to support workers as they adapt to industrial transition and the company’s plans for moving forward. In particular, he asked the company to actively propose areas where technology could be applied, such as on-site safety management, so that AI transformation (AX) projects could be developed based on the needs of industrial workplaces.
On the contentious issue of migrant workers, which has drawn heated debate both within and beyond the local community, Kim proposed public deliberation as a solution. Agreeing that workforce demand, jobs for Korean nationals, working conditions, and integration into the local community should all be considered, he promised, “We will create a forum for public deliberation involving labor and management, experts, and local residents, and build consensus starting with small agreements.”
He also said that he would arrange a roundtable to that end and foster a shared understanding among citizens through ongoing discussions.
The discussions with executives also included an in-depth look at clean-energy businesses, a new breakthrough and future growth engine for the shipbuilding industry. Praising HD HHI’s capabilities in manufacturing floating structures, Mayor Kim outlined Ulsan City’s vision for organically linking floating offshore wind projects with green hydrogen and ammonia, eco-friendly ships, and fuel-supply infrastructure.
Mayor Kim said, “Floating offshore wind is an area directly tied to the future growth engines of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Let’s work together to address the technical challenges and economic feasibility so that Ulsan’s industrial base can lead to new markets and jobs.”
Finally, Mayor Kim emphasized the importance of maintaining ongoing channels of dialogue, saying, “As you work through industrial transition and labor issues, I encourage companies and labor unions to make active use of Ulsan City as a reliable policy partner.”


[email protected] Choi Su-sang Reporter