South Korea's Hoban expands overseas energy infrastructure, including Singapore–Indonesia 400kV link

South Korea’s Hoban Group is underlining the need for long-term investment in energy infrastructure as part of its strategy to expand overseas operations in response to the global energy transition. Chairman Kim Seon-kyu toured overseas sites and discussed partnerships with local firms as part of this push.

Kim recently visited Daehan Electric Wire’s South Africa-based subsidiary, M-TEC, to inspect production facilities and engage with local staff. The trip, reported by Hoban Group, aimed to review operations and explore future cooperation with nearby businesses, aligning with a broader plan to grow overseas energy infrastructure projects.

M-TEC, founded in 2000 as Daehan Electric Wire’s local manufacturing entity, has supplied power and communications cables in Africa and has expanded its factory to meet rising demand. Kim’s visit to the plant underscored the group’s emphasis on sustained investment in production capacity to support regional infrastructure growth.

During the talks with local project partners, Kim highlighted the rapid evolution of the energy infrastructure sector, noting that it must address energy security, sustainability, and growth through long-horizon investment and stronger global partnerships. The discussions focused on future investment and collaboration directions.

In Singapore, Daehan Electric Wire is overseeing a high-voltage project to build a 400kV underground transmission network that links Singapore and Indonesia. The project is being delivered in a turnkey EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) format, with Daehan handling design, procurement, and construction. Daehan is reportedly the only Korean firm undertaking a 400kV turnkey project in Singapore and leads the 400kV-plus market there.

Hoban Group says its strategy combines construction and infrastructure development know-how with financial investment capability to strengthen its position in the global energy infrastructure market. A group official said the company intends to expand energy infrastructure opportunities through international partnerships.

The broader significance for U.S. readers lies in the growing global demand for resilient, modern energy grids and cross-border investment. Projects like Singapore–Indonesia’s 400kV underground network illustrate the scale and complexity of high-voltage transmission that underpins secure electricity supply and regional interconnections, which in turn affect supply chains, technology access, and geopolitics in energy markets. Korea’s engineering groups’ rising participation in such projects could influence competition, pricing, and collaboration opportunities for American utilities and manufacturers seeking diverse and reliable suppliers.