During the 1990s, Huang was the captain of the ROCS Hai Shih.[2] In the mid-2000s, Huang was named commander of the 256th Submarine Squadron.[3] During his term as Commander of the 256th Submarine Squadron, Huang oversaw the delivery of the Hai Lung-class submarines from the Netherlands.[2] He next served as the ROCN's chief of staff.[4] Huang then led the ROCN's Fleet Command.[5][6][7] Soon after his appointment as commander of the Republic of China Navy, Huang, defense minister Feng Shih-kuan, and other military officers apologized for the killing of a dog on a military base.[8][9] Soon after this incident, the Hsiung Feng III missile mishap occurred, followed by another round of apologies, during which he visited the home of Huang Wen-chung, the only victim of the incident, twice, first with Feng,[10] and then with president Tsai Ing-wen.[11] On the date of the incident, Huang was given a demerit.[12][13][14] In April 2017, Tsai issued Huang Shu-kang a warning, because naval officers had agreed to a contract the previous July to acquire Raytheon Phalanx closed-in weapons systems before the Legislative Yuan passed a budget to purchase them.[15]
In March 2017, Huang represented the ROCN in signing a memorandum of understanding with CSBC Corp., Taiwan and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology for the latter two organizations to develop and build submarines for Taiwan's navy.[16] Huang received two admonitions in November 2017,[17][18] following legal action against Ching Fu Shipbuilding Co. chief executive officer Chien Liang-chien, who stood accused of fraud relating to a contract signed with the ROCN in October 2014.[19] In October 2018, Huang was appointed convener of a task force formed to oversee development of an "Indigenous Defense Submarine."[20] Huang announced his resignation from the submarine program in April 2024.[21][22] Huang denied any "political factors" resulting in his resignation, but also drew attention to unfair attacks on him and the submarine program.[23][24]
In August 2018, Huang apologized to the family of Huang Kuo-chang, who died in June 1995 while serving in the Republic of China Navy.[25][26]
In October 2018, Huang was named as the convener of the Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) program, which became later known as the Hai Kun-class submarine. As the convener of the program, Huang spearheaded the overall development of the submarines, which are set to conduct test runs in 2025.[28] In April 2024, Huang announced his resignation from the submarine program.[29][30] Huang denied any "political factors" resulting in his resignation, but also drew attention to unfair attacks on him and the submarine program.[31][32]
After a month of negotiations between Huang with then-President Tsai Ing-wen and then-President elect Lai Ching-te, Huang's resignation was rejected and will remain his position as the convener of the IDS program. Both Tsai and Lai expressed confidence and faith in Huang to continue leading the project to its completion, which is said to be vital for Taiwan's defensive capabilities.[33][2]
Huang’s ancestral home was in Xiangtan, Hunan. His family moved to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War. His younger sister Huang Shan-shan has served as Taipei city councilor, deputy mayor, and on the Legislative Yuan.
