Arms agency chief cites legality as key reason behind bidding method change for destroyer project

The chief of the state arms procurement agency on Wednesday cited legality as the main factor behind a change in the bidding process for a multi-trillion won contract to build homegrown advanced destroyers. Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Minister Lee Yong-cheol made the remarks after the Defense Project Promotion Committee announced that it will pick the winner of the estimated 7 trillion-won ($5 billion) bid to build six advanced destroyers through competitive bidding. The committee made the decision in a unanimous vote in a meeting Monday, also attended by Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back. The landmark project had been long delayed, due mainly to intensifying competition and a legal feud between rival shipbuilders Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries that had respectively taken part in the concept design and basic design of the envisioned destroyer. HD Hyundai was initially expected to be chosen as the sole-source contractor to build the lead ship but faced protest from Hanwha Ocean over an alleged security leak involving HD Hyundai employees in the ship designWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times