Most Popular
-
1
5 days to US election, North Korea fires ICBM with longest flight yet
-
2
Thai K-pop fans’ online protest against Hybe intensifies
-
3
Controversial US YouTuber faces travel ban, police investigation
-
4
Looking for love, and drama? 'I am Solo' now casting foreign residents
-
5
Samsung vows to boost AI chip sales after earnings miss
-
6
N. Korea fires ballistic missile toward East Sea: JCS
-
7
Opposition accuses Yoon of favoritism, election meddling
-
8
Will 'APT.' revive Korean drinking games? We asked Korean drinkers
-
9
Group cancels scattering leaflets in NK amid security risks
-
10
Rose's 'APT.' becomes fastest video by K-pop female soloist to surpass 200 mln YouTube views
-
Carmakers' Jan. sales rise 4.8% on SUVs
South Korean carmakers' sales rose 4.8 percent last month from a year earlier helped by strong demand for sport utility vehicles (SUVs) amid the COVID-19 pandemic, industry data showed Monday. The five carmakers in South Korea -- Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Corp., GM Korea Co., Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and SsangYong Motor Co. -- sold a combined 597,213 vehicles in January, up from 569,929 units a year ago, according to data from the companies. Their domestic sales jumped 17 percent to 116,270 u
Feb. 1, 2021
-
Korea should foster automotive semiconductor industry: report
As electric cars have been the driving force behind the changing automotive industry, South Korea should foster competitiveness in the automotive semiconductor industry, a local think tank said Monday. In its report, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute says there is a need for Korean companies to gear up to meet the rising demands of automotive semiconductors, as cars are developing into “moving IT machines” with new technologies such as self-driving and electric powertrains
Feb. 1, 2021
-
[Herald Interview] Ford’s ambition to become ‘American vehicle of choice’
In 2020 a particular segment of passenger cars enjoyed strong sales in South Korea, reflecting a desire for road trips amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Recreational vehicles, including sport utility vehicles and car-derived vans, accounted for nearly half of all cars sold here last year, according to data from the Transport Ministry. For Ford Sales and Service Korea, this was an opportunity to solidify its position here as a leader in SUVs and pickup trucks, the company’s Managing Director D
Jan. 31, 2021
-
No. of airport passengers in S. Korea falls for 1st time in 12 years amid pandemic
The number of passengers using South Korean airports fell sharply last year due to the fallout of the new coronavirus outbreak, marking the first drop in 12 years, data showed Sunday. The number of people using 15 airports across the nation came to 65 million last year, down 58.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. It marked the first time that the number of airport passengers declined since 2008, when the country was in the midst of the global fina
Jan. 31, 2021
-
Auto exports dip 12% in 2020 amid pandemic
South Korea's exports of autos declined 12.1 percent on-year last year due to the fallout of the pandemic, data showed Friday. The country's outbound shipments of cars came to $34.7 billion last year, compared with $39 billion the previous year, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service. In 2020, the country's imports of autos rose 8.8 percent on-year to $12 billion, the data showed. The drop in auto exports was mainly attributable to a fall in demand over the COVID-19 pande
Jan. 29, 2021
-
Hyundai Motor bets on fuel cell ecosystem
The automotive industry is competing to introduce the most environment-friendly vehicles as global society strives to reach zero emissions. Battery-powered or hydrogen fuel cell cars have emerged as alternatives to gas or diesel-powered automobiles. While battery electric vehicles appear to have a slight lead on the roads for now, Hyundai Motor Group is committed to fostering a “hydrogen society,” in the belief that hydrogen fuel cells will be equally competitive in achieving a
Jan. 28, 2021
-
Four-way partnership forged for flying cars
Korea Airports Corp., Hanwha Systems, SK Telecom and the Korea Transport Institute have formed a four-way partnership to accelerate the commercialization of flying cars, or urban air mobility vehicles. Leaders from each party signed a memorandum of understanding at KAC’s headquarters in western Seoul on Wednesday as part of efforts to form a “dream team” with the goal of trialing commercial air taxis by 2025, the corporation announced on Thursday. The move will see KAC build
Jan. 28, 2021
-
Honda Korea bets on hybrid models in S. Korea
Honda Korea Co., the South Korean unit of Japanese carmaker Honda Motor Co., said Thursday it will focus on reviving lackluster sales this year by launching new gasoline hybrid models amid the prolonged coronavirus pandemic. Honda Korea has launched the new all-wheel CR-V hybrid SUV and the upgraded Accord hybrid sedan to regain a share in the Korean market, where its sales plunged 65 percent to 3,056 vehicles last year from 8,760 a year earlier. "We are targeting to sell 3,000 hybrid mod
Jan. 28, 2021
-
SsangYong Motor says deal with potential buyer is 'still under way'
SsangYong Motor Co., the South Korean unit of Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said Thursday that its Indian parent company is still in talks to sell its controlling stake, denying media reports that the deal has fallen through. SsangYong Motor made the statement in response to media reports that Mahindra and HAAH Automotive Holdings, Inc., a California company that imports vehicles for the US market, have failed to reach a compromise for the deal and notified SsangYong's main cred
Jan. 28, 2021
-
Mercedes-Benz Korea plans to launch 9 new models including 2 EVs
Mercedes-Benz Korea will launch nine new models this year, including two electric vehicles, aiming to re-create the sales success of last year, the automaker said Wednesday. This year, the German brand will augment its flagship luxury sedan lineup by launching new C-Class and S-Class models. Also coming to local consumers this year are the revamped CLS, the four-door coupe and a new engine variant for the G-Class, the G 400 d. The automaker is also planning to roll out two pure electric v
Jan. 27, 2021
-
Hyundai’s Kona EV investigated for catching fire after recall
The Transport Ministry will investigate the cause of a fire involving a recalled unit of Hyundai’s Kona electric vehicle, as well as the propriety of the car maker’s recall measures, the ministry said Tuesday. On Saturday, a Kona EV caught on fire for an unknown reason, while it was charging in a public charging station in Daegu. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the car had been recalled by the automaker. It decided the car should be investigated b
Jan. 26, 2021
-
Lotte, Shilla to close duty-free stores at Incheon Airport’s Terminal 1 after next month
Two major South Korean duty-free operators, Lotte and Shilla, will close their stores at Incheon Airport’s Terminal 1 next month, leaving more empty space at the airport. Both Lotte Duty Free and Shilla Duty Free’s leases expired in August but were extended for an additional six months after new bidders backed out before signing contracts, as the worsening coronavirus pandemic threatened prospects for duty-free shopping businesses. With the possibility of further extensions off th
Jan. 24, 2021
-
Air traffic halved in 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic
Air traffic volume in South Korea halved year-on-year in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Sunday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the number of flight operations last year totaled 421,000, down 50 percent from 2019. The volume on domestic routes fell 10.4 percent to 221,000, while international flights plummeted 66.4 percent to 200,000. Air traffic had been steadily increasing, from 739,000 flights in 2016 to 842,000 in 2019. Operations beg
Jan. 24, 2021
-
Hyundai Glovis pushes to tap East Asian logistics market
Hyundai Glovis, a vehicle delivery arm of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, is pushing deeper into the East Asian freight and logistics market. The company, which in 2009 opened its third overseas office in Vietnam, has recently clinched a deal to build a logistics center in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the agreement, Hyundai Glovis will team up with Ulsan Port Authority to construct and operate the facility on a 30,000 square meter plot. Once completed, the center will serve as a logist
Jan. 24, 2021
-
Hyundai, Kia struggle in 3 key markets last year amid pandemic
Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Corp. slumped in their three major markets last year amid the coronavirus pandemic, company data showed Sunday. Hyundai and Kia, South Korea's two biggest carmakers, saw their sales slump in the United States, Europe and China in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic affected vehicle production and sales. Among the three markets, the automakers performed worst in China, with their combined sales plunging 27 percent to 908,828 units last year from 664,744 the previou
Jan. 24, 2021
-
Budget airline industry poised for major shakeup
South Korea’s budget airline industry is poised for a seismic change this year, with two new players ready to enter the competition amid a pandemic-induced market consolidation. Aero K, one of the two, is set to begin operations next month. “Our first Cheongju-Jeju flight is scheduled on Feb. 19 after receiving permission for the route from the Transport Ministry yesterday,” one Aero K official told The Korea Herald. Two round-trip Airbus A320 flights between Cheongju Airp
Jan. 19, 2021
-
S. Korean carmakers sold over 600,000 SUVs in 2020
Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) sold by South Korean automakers sharply rose to exceed 600,000 units for the first time in 2020 on the back of the rising popularity of car camping and new lineups, industry data showed Sunday. Five companies -- Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Motors Corp., GM Korea Co., Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and SsangYong Motor Co. -- sold a combined 615,982 units last year, a 15.3 percent surge from a year earlier, the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) said. SUV sa
Jan. 17, 2021
-
Jeep pins hope on bigger, luxury lineup to surpass 10,000 sales mark in Korea
After being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Jeep -- a brand under Fiat Chrysler Automobiles -- aims to restore its sales in Korea by rolling out new powerful models, including a brand new Grand Cherokee with diversified powertrains, Jeep’s global president said on Friday. In a video interview with reporters, Jeep President Christian Meunier laid out a positive outlook for the automaker in the Korean market, highlighting two new models of its iconic Grand Cherokee and the Wrangle
Jan. 15, 2021
-
Hyundai Motor Group to build first offshore fuel cell system plant in China
The first offshore fuel cell system plant for South Korea’s biggest carmaker Hyundai Motor Group will be established in Guangzhou, China, the automaker said Friday. The automotive group said it signed an investment contract with China’s Guangdong provincial government to establish an offshore fuel cell system production facility in Guangzhou there. The investment is part of its efforts to advance its leadership in the global hydrogen industry, and to support the industry rapidly
Jan. 15, 2021
-
Kia rebrands itself as mobility solution developer
Kia announced Friday a new brand strategy and future ambitions to transform the company to go beyond vehicle manufacturing to create mobility solutions for customers. In a digital showcase event on the company’s official YouTube channel, South Korea’s second-largest automaker announced a new corporate name removing “Motors” from its previous name of Kia Motors Corp. This signals the brand breaking away from its traditional manufacturing-driven business model to expan
Jan. 15, 2021