[News Space=Reporter seungwon lee] Rep. Kang Min-guk (People Power Party, Jinju City B) urged the Fair Trade Commission, Financial Supervisory Service, and other relevant authorities to actively investigate the suspicion that Hanwha Aerospace is effectively forcing its employees to buy paid-in capital increase stocks.

On March 20, Hanwha Aerospace decided on a large-scale paid-in capital increase worth 3.6 trillion won, but immediately after the announcement of the paid-in capital increase, it faced criticism that it was a fraudulent paid-in capital increase for the succession of the owner's family and that it was responsible for the huge losses suffered by minority shareholders due to the stock price plunge.

Accordingly, on April 8, Hanwha Aerospace announced a reduction in the capital increase through shareholder allocation from the original KRW 3.6 trillion to KRW 2.3 trillion, but it was revealed that 853,440 shares worth KRW 460 billion, or 20% of the KRW 2.3 trillion worth of 4,267,200 shares through shareholder allocation, were allocated to Hanwha Aerospace's employee stock ownership association.

As of the end of March 2025, Hanwha Aerospace has 7,745 employees, and 110 shares, or 59.4 million won worth, were allocated to each employee. Employees are not obligated to purchase stocks in the company stock subscription scheduled for June 4, and in particular, the forced sale of company stocks by the company is prohibited under Article 42, Section 2 of the Labor Welfare Standards Act.

Rep. Kang Min-guk explained, "It was reported that from April 14 to April 30, Hanwha Aerospace required its employees to pledge through its internal system not to seek employment at a 'company with a conflict of interest' for three years after leaving the company."

The pledge broadly lists the stakeholders subject to employment bans, including not only defense, space, and aviation companies, but also companies in similar industries, including the battery industry, and includes a clause stating that in case of violation, "any disadvantages, including severe punishment, must be endured."

Hanwha Aerospace employees are complaining about this pledge, saying it is a 'practical pledge to not change jobs.'

Rep. Kang Min-guk emphasized, "Our company's stocks are classified as friendly shares of the current management, so from the perspective of the founding family, securing and maintaining our company's stocks as planned is advantageous for management succession, so there is an argument that they secretly forced the purchase of our company's stocks and devised a pledge that effectively prohibits employees from changing jobs in order to prevent future sales."

In response, the Fair Trade Commission announced that it would review whether the Fair Trade Act can be applied.

Rep. Kang Min-guk pointed out, “Although Hanwha Aerospace announced a reduction in the paid-in capital increase by 2.4 trillion won due to the controversy over the succession of the owner’s family’s stake in the 3.6 trillion won paid-in capital increase, suspicions of a bequest for the succession of stake are growing again due to suspicions of a de facto forced sale of company stocks to employees.”

In particular, he raised his voice, saying, “In order to thoroughly investigate the suspicions that Hanwha has been increasing capital solely for the benefit of its founding family, a thorough review and investigation by relevant organizations such as the Fair Trade Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service is necessary.”