Asiana converts two more passenger planes to carry cargo

Asiana Airlines said on Monday it has converted two of its Airbus A350-900 passenger aircrafts to cargo planes as it seeks to expand its freight business. The move will give the airline an additional 23 tons of space to carry cargo per plane, bringing its air cargo fleet to a total of four. Two other passenger planes were converted last year. In a statement, the airline boasted last year’s record breaking sales from its cargo business reached 2.14 trillion won ($1.9 billion), up 64 perce

Feb. 22, 2021

Airlines to retain air traffic rights without flying

The government is poised to further extend the period when airlines can suspend flights without losing their air traffic rights for the routes, as the pandemic continues to affect the aviation industry. According to sources close to the matter, the new extension is currently being “positively considered,” as the current extension comes to an end next month. “Given the prolonged pandemic, the measure is being positively considered to help support airlines,” one Transport

Feb. 21, 2021

Kia tops J.D. Power mass-market dependability rankings

Kia Corp., South Korea's second-biggest carmaker, said Friday it became the best-scoring mass-market brand in this year's J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study results. Kia beat perennial No. 1 Toyota Motor Corp. and 16 other mass-market brands to become the most dependable mainstream brand in terms of problems owners of three-year-old cars have experienced in the United States, the company said in a statement. Kia's Optima (or K5) midsize sedan, Sportage compact SUV and Sorento midsize SUV

Feb. 19, 2021

Cadillac launches entry-level SUV XT4 in full-option

Cadillac of GM Korea is launching its first entry-level sports utility vehicle XT4 in Korea to target younger drivers, the company said Thursday. The automaker said the XT4 model here will be come in the sport trim with all functional options -- including massage seats in the driver and the passenger seats in the front, and a panoramic sunroof. With a price tag of 55.3 million won ($50,000), the new model seeks to gain an upper hand in the compact SUV segment, against its potential rivals M

Feb. 18, 2021

Eastar Jet could fly again as soon as June

South Korea’s troubled low-cost carrier Eastar Jet, which filed for court receivership last month, could be back in the sky as soon as June amid increased chances of a deal. According to industry sources, the number of potential buyers -- including a private equity fund and a construction company -- has risen from four to six or seven, with the acquisition process set to be finalized by late May. Earlier this month, the Seoul Bankruptcy Court allowed the airline to initiate corporate reh

Feb. 18, 2021

Operation of new budget airlines delayed amid prolonged pandemic

Newly-launched South Korean low-cost carriers Air Premia and Aero K have been given an extended time frame by the Transport Ministry to begin the operation of their service amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the two airlines can fly their first flights by the end of this year in order to retain their operating license, pushing back the date from early March to December. The move, approved by an advisory co

Feb. 17, 2021

Kia teases exterior design of all-new K8

Kia Corp. South Korea's No. 2 carmaker, on Wednesday revealed the exterior design of the new large sedan K8, the first model that bears its new brand logo. The K8 is a successor of K7, better known as Cadenza in the United States, which has sold over 500,000 units globally since its launch in 2009. Its new corporate image features elongated 5,015 mm body with a low roofline, which combines sportiness and sleek exterior design. At the front sits a new signature frameless tiger nose grille that

Feb. 17, 2021

[Behind the Wheel] Honda CR-V kicks it up a notch for hybrid EVs

The more environmentally-friendly version of Honda’s flagship sports utility vehicle CR-V has been launched in Korea, boasting an ample interior space, and with distinguishable driving modes that offer a little more fun to driving. The Japanese automaker has kicked off the new year by presenting the new CR-V Hybrid, a hybrid electric vehicle model of the CR-V, and aims to get back on its feet in the Korean market, where it has been suffering from a nationwide boycott against Japanese goo

Feb. 16, 2021

Hyundai reveals interior of 1st own EV platform-based IONIQ 5

Hyundai Motor Co. on Monday unveiled the interior design of the IONIQ 5, the first all-electric model with its own electric vehicle platform, ahead of its global unveiling next week. The IONIQ 5 midsize crossover vehicle comfortably accommodates both passengers and cargo as the electric-global modular platform allows for an elongated wheelbase and flat floor unlike other midsize crossovers with internal combustion engines and conventional steer-by-wire systems, Hyundai said in a statement. &qu

Feb. 15, 2021

Tesla launches Model Y in Korea

Tesla’s Model Y has officially launched in South Korea, with prices starting from 59.9 million won for the lowest trim and is eligible for government subsidy. The automaker started sales of its latest pure electric vehicle crossover here on Friday, presenting three trims -- the standard range, long range, and performance models. The Model Y’s standard range model offers up to 340 kilometers of range on a single charge, while the long range model can go up to 511 kilometers. The

Feb. 14, 2021

Hyundai’s Santa Fe, GV80 among best new cars of 2021

Four vehicles of South Korea’s leading automaker Hyundai Motor Group have been included in a ranking of 12 best new cars of 2021, compiled by a US automotive third-party car listings brand Autotrader. The four are Hyundai Motor’s Santa Fe, Genesis GV80, Kia’s Sorento and K5. Hyundai Motor, Genesis and Kia are all automotive brands owned by Hyundai Motor Group. The 12 vehicles have been selected by a team of experts, who collectively tested and scored new models using a ran

Feb. 14, 2021

Air passenger traffic dips 68% in 2020 amid pandemic

South Korea's air passenger traffic plunged 68 percent last year in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the transport ministry said Sunday. In 2020, the number of passengers on domestic and international routes fell to 39.4 million from 123.3 million a year earlier as countries strengthened entry restrictions to stem the spread of COVID-19, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. In particular, the number of passengers on international routes plummeted 84 perc

Feb. 14, 2021

Korean Air offers 'flights to nowhere' amid pandemic

Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's biggest carrier, has joined other airlines to offer "flights to nowhere" as a way to ride out the coronavirus crisis, the transport ministry said Sunday. Korean Air plans to use the A380 passenger jet on the route from Incheon to the East Sea, Busan, Jeju Island, the Straits of Korea and back to Incheon on Feb. 27, a ministry official said. The entertainment-packed flight to nowhere will take two hours and 20 minutes. It is priced at 219,000 won-70

Feb. 14, 2021

Turkey gives first approval to Korean Air-Asiana takeover

Korean Air’s plan to take over Asiana Airline has been approved by antitrust authorities in Turkey, the airline said Wednesday. The Turkish Competition Authority, a government organization dedicated to ensuring market competitiveness, gave the Korean airline the green light last Thursday, becoming the first foreign country to clear one of the hurdles facing the high-profile acquisition. Last month, the South Korean national flag carrier filed for a merger and acquisition review to the an

Feb. 10, 2021

Hyundai Motor unveils unmanned mobility vehicle concept

Hyundai Motor Group on Wednesday unveiled its first "uncrewed" mobility vehicle concept as it strives to morph into a future mobility solutions provider. The TIGER robot, which stands for Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot, is designed to operate as a four-wheel drive vehicle or a four-legged walking machine to conduct scientific exploration activities, carry emergency medical kits and deliver products to inaccessible areas, Hyundai said in a statement. The vehicle with

Feb. 10, 2021

[Behind the Wheel] BMW's 4 Series grabs attention with expressive vertical kidney grille

YEONGJONGDO, Incheon -- The second-generation BMW 4 Series has been introduced with a daring look, embracing a vertical kidney grille to show off a new identity. Last week, BMW Korea introduced the renewed BMW 4 Series Coupe and 4 Series Convertible to the Korean market, and presenting the new signature kidney grille that has been made bigger and stretched not to the sides, but vertically. It is the first time the German automaker has introduced the vertical kidney grille to a mass-produced

Feb. 9, 2021

Hyundai, Kia say not in talks with Apple on EV car project

Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Corp. said Monday they are not in talks with Apple Inc. over an electric car manufacturing project in response to reports of their suspended discussions. In separate regulatory filings, Hyundai and Kia, which together form the world's fifth-biggest carmaker by sales, said they are "not in talks with Apple over developing an autonomous vehicle." The carmakers said they are considering forming a partnership with foreign companies in regard to self-dr

Feb. 8, 2021

Korean Air net losses narrow in 2020 despite pandemic

Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's biggest carrier, said Thursday its net losses narrowed in 2020 from a year earlier, as it offset the pandemic-caused slump in passenger travel with increased cargo deliveries and enjoyed decent gains from an asset sale. Net losses narrowed to 291.45 billion won ($260 million) last year from 622.76 billion won the previous year, the company said in a regulatory filing. "The proceeds from the sale of its in-flight catering and duty-free business and forei

Feb. 4, 2021

Korean Air set to launch ‘flights to nowhere’

Korean Air is taking steps to launch its own international sightseeing flights without landing, the airline said on Wednesday. “We are taking necessary steps to operate chartered flights and the sales dates are under discussion,” one official at the airline said. The airline’s first international “flight to nowhere” has been given the green-light by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to take off on Feb. 27, the official added. The travel route is y

Feb. 3, 2021

Mercedes-Benz Korea seeks cancellation of hefty fine for manipulating emissions

Mercedes-Benz Korea has requested a Seoul court cancel a multibillion-won fine imposed on the company for manipulating diesel emissions in the country, judicial sources said Tuesday. The German carmaker filed a lawsuit against the environment ministry in October with the Seoul Administrative Court, seeking the cancellation of a 77.6 billion-won ($69.3 million) fine over its emission manipulation, the sources said. Details on the upcoming hearing schedules have yet to be disclosed. As for the

Feb. 2, 2021