LS Cable & System's submarine cable production facility in Donghae, Gangwon Province (LS Cable & System) The prosecution's investigation into allegations that Taihan Cable & Solution misappropriated submarine cable technology from LS Cable & System is drawing attention from industry participants ahead of the next wave of South Korea's undersea power transmission projects.At the center of attention is the government's planned West Coast HVDC project, dubbed the "West Coast Energy Highway." The project is expected to generate trillions of won of demand for submarine cables and related infrastructure in the coming years.While the investigation's outcome remains uncertain, industry officials say the case could become one of several factors considered in future bidding and project evaluation processes.Taihan Cable has claimed that the facilities involved in the investigation are related to AC submarine cable production and therefore have no direct connection to future HVDC projects.Some industry officials, however, note that AC and HVDC submarine cable plants share certain production infrastructure and engineering capabilities."HVDC and HVAC use different technologies, but key production facilities and operational know-how overlap in many areas," said an industry official familiar with the submarine cable sector.Others emphasize that large national infrastructure projects are assessed not only on technological capability, but also on execution stability and risk management."The West Coast HVDC project is expected to be a key battleground for leadership in Korea's future submarine power grid market," another industry official said. "As project awards begin, companies with proven manufacturing, installation and execution capabilities could gain an advantage in the competition."