# HD Hyundai Heavy ratifies wage pact, clearing delivery risks

*Union workers approved a revised contract on Oct. 27 after five months of talks, securing timely fourth-quarter handovers of high-value LNG carriers to Qatar and global buyers.*

**Published:** October 27, 2026  
**By:** Hyun-jung Lee  
**Section:** Shipbuilding & Defense — South Korea  
**Format:** Breaking  
**Confidence:** medium  
**Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/shipbuilding/hd-hyundai-heavy-ratifies-wage-pact-clearing-delivery-risks-966  
**Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/)

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## What to know

- HD Hyundai Heavy union ratified wage pact on Oct. 27 with 55.06% approval
- Deal secures timely handover of 5 Qatar LNG carriers due by December
- Formal signing ceremony scheduled for Oct. 30 in Ulsan

![Shipyard workers wearing hard hats and blue uniforms walk between large vessels at the Ulsan shipyard. (AI-generated image)](https://eastasiabrief.com/media/2026-10-27-36c314c61a8d.webp)
*Shipyard workers wearing hard hats and blue uniforms walk between large vessels at the Ulsan shipyard. (AI-generated image)*

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union members ratified a two-year wage agreement on Oct. 27, 2026, ending a five-month labor standoff that threatened fourth-quarter vessel deliveries at the world's largest shipyard.

The approved accord covers 8,193 unionized workers at the Ulsan yard. The agreement provides an estimated 41.36 million won ($30,000) in average annual payouts per employee, including a monthly base wage increase of 120,000 won ($87).

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Cite as: East Asia Brief, "HD Hyundai Heavy ratifies wage pact, clearing delivery risks," October 27, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/shipbuilding/hd-hyundai-heavy-ratifies-wage-pact-clearing-delivery-risks-966