Overseas flight bookings soar over 14-fold, with a half heading to Japan

Overseas flight bookings skyrocketed during the first three weeks of this month by 1,336.3 percent compared to the same period last year, according to Interpark on Tuesday. The noticeable increase of overseas travel bookings comes after COVID-19 travel restrictions have been lifted not only in South Korea but in other popular tourist spots as well, says the online ticketing site. Japan was topped the list of popular travel destinations with 48.2 percent of flights booked heading there. The numbe

Oct. 25, 2022

Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee continues to reach out to communities in need

Mercedes-Benz Korea has donated vehicles to local communities for seven consecutive years as part of its social outreach project called Mercedes-Benz All Together, according to the company on Tuesday. Mercedes-Benz Korea launched its Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee in 2014 to make a systematic and continuous contribution to Korean society such as donating cars to social welfare institutions. The committee has donated a total of 44 vehicles to 43 institutions as of this year, the German carmaker said

Oct. 25, 2022

Renault's QM6 becomes newest addition to police fleet

Renault Korea said Tuesday it has supplied 67 of its popular sport utility vehicle QM6 to law enforcement, to be used by local detectives and riot police officers. Renault Korea’s QM6 model was recognized by police officials as being fit for police operations for its low noise levels and spacious interior, the automaker explained. QM6 boasts the most spacious back seat among SUVs in the similar range. With the back seats folded, it opens up 2,000 liters of cargo space when including the tr

Oct. 25, 2022

[Test Drive] The ID.4: a great family EV

It’s no wonder why Volkswagen took a while to introduce its electric vehicle in South Korea. With its all-electric SUV ID.4, the German carmaker offers an accessible EV solution for local customers pursuing an eco-friendly family life. The electrified midsize SUV boasts remarkable spaciousness. It is big enough to accommodate a family as well as equipment for activity lovers. There is enough leg- and headroom in both the front and back seats, and the trunk is capable of storing up to 543 l

Oct. 24, 2022

Hyundai Motor Q3 sales soar 30% on increased global sales

Hyundai Motor on Monday reported 37.7 trillion won ($26.2 billion) in total sales for the third quarter, an increase of 30.6 percent on-year. It was boosted by a significant increase in global sales, which the automaker forecast would expand in the final quarter as the auto parts supply crunch eases. Hyundai Motor sold 1.02 million cars from July to September, according to a regulatory filing. The third quarter is regarded as a low season for the carmaker, as employees take vacations for the sum

Oct. 24, 2022

Korean Air plane with 162 passengers overruns runway at Cebu Airport

A Korean Air plane overran a runway at the Cebu International Airport in the Philippines while attempting to land in poor weather late Sunday. No injuries were reported. The flight had 162 passengers and 11 crew onboard. Korean Air flight KE631, which had departed from Incheon to Cebu, had attempted to land twice in poor weather, and on the third attempt overran the runway, according to the South Korean air carrier while delivering an apology. “We sincerely apologize to our passengers and

Oct. 24, 2022

Hyundai Motor wins first MotorTrend award with Ioniq 5

Hyundai Motor’s flagship electric vehicle Ioniq 5 has been picked as MotorTrend’s 2023 SUV of the Year, the first award for the Korean automaker from the renowned US auto magazine with 74 years of history. The Ioniq 5 beat out 44 other models, of which 24 were electric. MotorTrend said the Ioniq 5 stood out for its luxurious exterior, outstanding driving performance, spacious interior and efficient battery pack, along with the fast-charging system. The award for SUV of the year is ev

Oct. 21, 2022

Hyundai Motor Group to sponsor eco-friendly vehicles for World Cup

Hyundai Motor Group said Thursday that it would sponsor 236 units of eco-friendly vehicles for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 which kicks off on Nov. 20, as part of a commitment to keep the global soccer event a carbon-neutral tournament. Hyundai will sponsor a total of 616 vehicles to be operated for FIFA staff, VIP guests, players and media during the game which ends on Dec. 18. The Korean carmaker has been the official sponsor for World Cup since 2002. It is the first time that the company and t

Oct. 20, 2022

Hyundai Mobis to supply chassis modules for Mercedes-Benz EVs

South Korean auto parts and mobility solutions provider Hyundai Mobis said Tuesday that it has begun mass-producing chassis modules for Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles, adding another global automaker to its client list. Mobis begun manufacturing its chassis module, a core automotive part that controls a vehicle’s stability while driving, from the third quarter at a newly established plant dedicated for Mercedes cars in Alabama in the US. A total of four electrified SUVs by the German ca

Oct. 18, 2022

With Russian airspace shut, long-haul crews at risk of breaching maximum hours

South Korean airlines are considering ways to extend the maximum working hours for crew on board to avoid layovers for long-haul flights such as the New York-Incheon route. Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, two of South Korea’s largest full-service carriers, said the move comes after Russia's airspace was shut down after its invasion of Ukraine, prompting Korean airlines to take a detour for safety. “We are looking to lift the cap on the maximum flying hours for pilots with discus

Oct. 16, 2022

Higher pricing, currency rates to boost Hyundai, Kia to record earnings

South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor and its sister company Kia are expected to see continued record-high sales and profits in the third quarter, despite a market downturn and the impact of the industry’s low season. According to market data on Sunday, Hyundai Motor is expected to announce around 36 trillion won ($25 billion) in sales in the July-September period, about a 25 percent increase on-year. Its quarterly operating profit would surpass 3 trillion won for the first time, jumping 10

Oct. 16, 2022

[Breaking] Fire at Kakao data center causes servers to go down

A fire Saturday at a Kakao data center in Pangyo, south of Seoul, has led to a server outage affecting the KakaoTalk messenger app, along with other apps such as Kakao T, Kakao Map, Kakao Metro, Kakao Webtoon, Kakao Bank, Kakao-owned portal Daum and music streaming service Melon. The internet connection for the apps has been unavailable since 3:30 p.m. "There has been a fire at SK C&C data center since 3:30 p.m. Work has begun to put down the fire, but we are uncertain when the fir

Oct. 15, 2022

Renault CEO vows investments to make Korea export hub

Renault Group will be investing hundreds of millions of euros in South Korea for the next six years to turn the country into an export hub for its mid to large-size vehicles, its CEO said Tuesday in Seoul. “We want to make Korea the key export hub for large (-vehicle) segments. Being in Korea is also a fantastic way for us to keep the group partnered to one of the most innovative tech ecosystems in the world. We have a lot to learn here,” said Luca de Meo during a press conference he

Oct. 12, 2022

Chaebol chiefs on overseas business trips amid parliamentary inspection

A parliamentary inspection of the Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Committee kicked off Thursday to question businesses over their mishaps or irregularities that undermined public safety, but hearing sessions went on without business chiefs in attendance. The initial list of requested witnesses submitted by the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea included 96 business executives in total, but only four appeared as witnesses on the day. Business tycoons w

Oct. 6, 2022

After months of shutdown, Hyundai's Russia woes deepen

  Half a year has passed since Hyundai Motor Group suspended operations of its Russian plant over global logistics issues, without a clear vision for a breakthrough while global competitors have already exited the market. But market experts say Hyundai simply leaving Russia is not an answer, due to massive investment and significant market share. According to a report recently released by Hyundai Motor Group, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Russia shipped zero cars in August, as opposed to the

Oct. 6, 2022

[Newsmaker] Transport ministry offers increase of taxi-hailing fee to resolve nighttime cab shortage

The government will raise late-night taxi-hailing fees to 5,000 won ($3.49) which will go into the pockets of taxi drivers, not platform companies, to bring back drivers who left the industry during the pandemic curfew, the transport ministry said Tuesday. According to the plan devised to resolve the nighttime taxi shortage, taxis operating from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. will receive up to 5,000 won as hailing fee. When the midnight basic fare is added, passengers in Seoul are likely to pay more than 10

Oct. 4, 2022

Hyundai, Kia EV sales drop after new US EV subsidy act

Hyundai Motor Group’s electric vehicle sales in the United States dropped significantly last month after a new US act that excludes tax benefits on vehicles produced outside of the US took effect, data showed on Tuesday. Hyundai Motor America sold a total of 1,306 Ioniq 5 units in September, far less than the 2,853 units of the EV model sold in June, 1,978 in July and 1,517 in August. Its sister company Kia’s sales of its flagship model EV6 also dropped to 1,440 units last month fr

Oct. 4, 2022

Tesla’s plan to adopt its own diagnosis system draws concerns

US electric vehicle maker Tesla plans to develop its own vehicle diagnosis system for the first time and apply it to all Tesla models sold in South Korea from October next year, instead of going through mandatory safety checks conducted by the local authority, drawing concerns among the public as Tesla could hide fatal technical glitches on purpose. According to Korea Transportation Safety Authority data obtained by Rep. Park Sang-hyuk from Democratic Party of Korea on Monday, Tesla plans to a

Oct. 3, 2022

Hyundai Motor's hydrogen trailer drone concept wins top Red Dot Award

Hyundai Motor Group’s hydrogen fuel-cell trailer drone concept Trailer Drone won the 2022 Red Dot Design Concept Luminary award, according to the company on Friday. It is the first time the South Korean automaker won the Luminary award, the highest level of recognition accorded at the Red Dot Award, it added. The Trailer Drone concept is a hydrogen-powered container transportation system capable of operating fully autonomously, with a double e-Bogie configuration. An e-Bogie serves as a pl

Sept. 30, 2022

[Herald Design Forum 2022] From mobility to personal space, vehicle function continues to evolve

The key function of a car will continue to evolve from being a means of transportation to a personalized living space, said Yoon Il-hun, vice president of HMC Genesis Design Group at the Herald Design Forum 2022 held on Tuesday in Seoul. “As a car becomes a space for living, the purpose of a car will evolve infinitely without boundaries," said Yoon. "This is where we are seeing growing needs from our consumers, and we are focusing on such a key design pillar — the beauty

Sept. 27, 2022