HJ Heavy Industries Played Role as Private Diplomat in Attracting ‘Busan World Expo’

El Salvador Presidential Delegation Visits Busan

Inspects Yeongdo Shipyard for Repair Shipyard Construction

Introduces 2030 Busan World Expo Promotional Video and More

HJ Heavy Industries is playing a key role as a private diplomat in attracting the ‘Busan World Expo’.

On the 29th, HJ Heavy Industries welcomed the El Salvador delegation, who visited Korea at the invitation of the Korea Ports Association Overseas Port Development Cooperation Support Center for the ship repair yard project and port development.

The company introduced the 2030 Busan World Expo promotional video to the delegation and actively engaged in efforts to attract the event.

Last month, in relation to the construction of the Los Chorros Bridge and road expansion project in El Salvador, Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) decided to jointly support the project, and this visit was made in line with the expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries.

The Los Chorros project involves road expansion connecting San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, and the western region, as well as the construction of a bypass bridge in a collapse-risk area. Of the total project cost of $430 million, the EDCF and CABEI are providing $210 million and $200 million respectively.

This EDCF support is the largest loan in Latin America based on a single project. In March, Dongbu Construction, an affiliate of HJ Heavy Industries, was awarded the project and selected as the contractor.

The visitors on this day included Sigfredo Edgardo Figueroa, Director of the Strategic Planning Office of the Presidential Office; Raul Castaneda, Head of CABEI El Salvador; and Jaime Jose Lopez, Ambassador of El Salvador to Korea.

HJ Heavy Industries introduced its pioneering history as Korea’s first shipyard and its accumulated know-how and technological capabilities through the construction and operation of the Jeddah ship repair yard in Saudi Arabia and the Subic shipyard in the Philippines, which are its two major business sectors: construction and shipbuilding.

From 1982 to 1987, HJ Heavy Industries operated the Jeddah ship repair yard in Saudi Arabia for five years, providing the foundation for shipyard operation and worker training to the Saudi side. This was also the first case of Korea’s shipbuilding industry expanding overseas not through shipbuilding but through shipyard operation and management business.

An official from HJ Heavy Industries said, “Through this visit, we hope that the accumulated experience and technological capabilities of HJ Heavy Industries, the birthplace of Korea’s shipbuilding industry, will greatly contribute to the El Salvador ship repair yard project, and we look forward to deepening cooperation and trust between Korea and El Salvador.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.