Freedom of association remains under serious threat in South Korea's shipbuilding industry. Prime shipbuilders have adopted various strategies to weaken trade unions, particularly those representing subcontracted workers, including discriminatory dismissals, restrictions on union activities, anti-union management policies, and even physical violence. These practices undermine workers' ability to organize collectively and raise concerns about systematic violations of internationally recognized labour rights. 

At HD Hyundai Samho, union officials from the Korean Metal Workers' Union Jeonnam Shipbuilding Subcontractors Branch were excluded from employment succession when a subcontractor was replaced, despite the industry's common practice of rehiring existing workers. The Labor Relations Commission determined that these targeted exclusions constituted unfair labour practices. The company also imposed extensive restrictions on union activities inside the shipyard, including limits on workplace access, vehicle entry, loudspeaker use, and assemblies. Some of these restrictions were later found to be unlawful by the Regional Labor Relations Commission. 

Following its acquisition of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, Hanwha Ocean introduced management practices widely criticized as anti-union. The company proposed a bonus scheme that effectively penalized workers if subcontracted workers engaged in strike action, creating conflict between directly employed and subcontracted workers. In 2024, an internal document titled "Scenario-Based Simulation Schedule" was also revealed, outlining strategies to respond to strikes and portraying trade unions as obstacles to labour-management relations. The document raised serious concerns regarding systematic union-busting. 

At HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, anti-union practices escalated into physical violence. During a lawful strike in October 2024, the company mobilized more than 1,000 security personnel and managers to disperse union members. Numerous workers sustained serious injuries, including facial fractures and other severe wounds, illustrating the use of force against workers exercising their constitutional right to strike. 

These incidents demonstrate that anti-union practices in Korea's shipbuilding industry extend well beyond individual labour disputes. They represent structural obstacles to freedom of association and collective bargaining, contrary to the standards established under the ILO Fundamental Conventions, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.