HD Hyundai Chairman to meet Bill Gates regarding SMR cooperation

HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun is scheduled to meet with Bill Gates, chairman of the US nuclear energy firm TerraPower, in Seoul this week. The meeting aims to deepen cooperation regarding small modular reactors (SMR).

HD Hyundai and TerraPower have an established partnership, including a US$30 million investment by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering in 2022. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is currently a preferred manufacturer for components of TerraPower’s 345-megawatt Natrium sodium-cooled fast reactor project in Wyoming, United States.

Separately, during an executive strategy meeting at the group’s Global R&D Center, Chung Ki-sun called for a 20-year vision for the company. He urged executives to prioritize sustainable, long-term growth over short-term results and emphasized that workplace safety must remain the group’s highest management priority.