[Joint Statement] HD Hyundai must end its complicity with Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire went into effect on January 19th, for 42 days. However, even after the ceasefire was signed on the 15th, Israel used excavators to destroy Palestinian homes in Gaza. The excavators seen in the video clearly bear the Doosan Infracore logo. Doosan Infracore is a Korean company that was acquired by HD Hyundai in 2021. We are horrified that a Korean company is colluding with Israel to inflict still more suffering on the Palestinians who have already suffered enough under Israel’s illegal occupation and genocide, and demand that HD Hyundai immediately cut all ties with Israel.

This is far from the first time that a Korean company’s heavy equipment has been used to destroy Palestinian homes. Starting in 2013, the international community critiqued HD Hyundai (formerly Hyundai Heavy Industries Group) because its equipment was being used to forcibly displace Palestinians as well as build illegal Israeli settlements, and demanded it cut ties with Israel. Moreover, the international community demanded that HD Hyundai take responsibility for its equipment being used to destroy Palestinian homes. However, HD Hyundai claims that a full investigation has turned up no problems and they have yet to take any steps to address the issue. Even while ceasefire negotiations were well underway in early and mid-January, Israel hired a private company to continue destroying Palestinian homes, accelerating the ethnic cleansing they’ve carried out since before their founding in 1948. Moreover, at the end of last November, they hired a private company that specializes in constructing settlements, preparing to rebuild illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. This is clearly a war crime. All of these illegal actions have been carried out using HD Hyundai’s heavy equipment. This is unacceptable.

According to the UN Guiding Principles on Businesses and Human Rights, all companies must ensure that their operations do not directly lead to or contribute to human rights abuses, and in the event that this occurs, they have a responsibility to take proactive action. Moreover, according to last September’s UN General Assembly resolution, which demands that Israel end its illegal occupation of Palestine within 12 months, UN member states must ensure that nationals, companies, and entities under their jurisdiction refrain from engaging in activities that support or sustains Israel’s occupation. HD Hyundai must immediately end their complicity with Israel’s war crimes in the illegally occupied territory of Palestine. HD Hyundai must investigate whether or not their excavators are being used to destroy Palestinian homes and build illegal Israeli settlements, and they must immediately cut all ties with Israel. Videos in circulation already prove that HD Hyundai is complicit with Israel’s war crimes. The time has come to sever this link.

January 24, 2025
Urgent Action by South Korean Civil Society in Solidarity with Palestine 

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