Hyundai unveils face-lifted Palisade SUV

Hyundai Motor Company launched a revamped version of the Palisade in Korea with enhanced safety features on Friday. For the latest Palisade 2024, the automaker introduced a new trim, dubbed Le Blanc, which has been equipped with various customer-preferred specs, including a smart power tailgate, 20-inch wheels, organic leather sheets, wireless smartphone charging and a surround-view monitor. The new Palisade 2024 has also been revamped with new safety features, including blind collision warning

June 2, 2023

[Photo News] Ferrari CEO in Seoul

Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna (center) poses with Roma Spider, the Italian luxury carmaker’s latest soft-top convertible, during the Universo Ferrari exhibition which kicked off in Seoul on Thursday. The CEO visited Korea to celebrate the Asia premiere of the exhibition that travels around the world to showcase Ferrari’s 22 most representative cars. On his right is Dieter Knechtel, president of Ferrari's Far East and Middle East, and left is Enrico Galliera, chief marketing an

June 1, 2023

[Photo News] Hyundai hydrogen in China

Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday completed its first overseas hydrogen fuel cell system facility in Guangzhou, China, signifying the South Korean auto giant's global expansion in the hydrogen industry. About 200 Chinese and Korean government officials and business executives, including Hyundai Motor Company CEO Chang Jae-hoon (sixth from left) and Lin Keqing (fifth from left), chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Political Consultative Conference and secretary of the Guangzhou Municipal Comm

June 1, 2023

Samsung SDI CEO stresses ESG as key future strategy

South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI said Thursday an executive meeting was held to bolster environmental, social and governance management efforts. Some 20 top executives, including Samsung SDI CEO Choi Yoon-ho, joined the workshop held at the company’s headquarters in Giheung, Gyeonggi Province. “ESG management goes beyond corporate’s social responsibility. It is a key strategy to enhancing our competitive edge for the future,” said the CEO in his opening remarks. &ld

June 1, 2023

LG Innotek develops new vehicle lighting module

LG Innotek said Wednesday it has developed a new flexible three-dimensional lighting module for vehicles. Dubbed "Nexlide-M," the product boasts brighter, clearer and more uniform light emission, making it more visible in daylight, the company said. "The Nexlide-M is the whole package -- it has excellent functions and beautiful design," said Yoo In-soo, head of LG Innotek's Motor and Lighting business. In particular, it is able to emit clearer light while with minimal nu

May 31, 2023

Mercedes-Benz Korea taps digital expert as new CEO

Mercedes-Benz Korea said Wednesday that Mathias Vaitl, who currently heads the German automaker's online platform Mercedes Me, as well as their digital service business and e-commerce, has been tapped as the new CEO of the company's Korean office. According to the announcement, Vaitl will begin his tenure at the Seoul office on Sept. 1. "I am very excited to take the role of CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea, the 4th largest market and one of the most dynamic and trend-setting markets in

May 31, 2023

Hyundai Rotem to test drive hydrogen tram

Hyundai Rotem, a railway, defense and plant systems provider under Hyundai Motor Group, is speeding up the commercial debut of the nation’s first hydrogen-powered electric tram, with a test drive set to be carried out in the coming months. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday, the company’s upcoming tram, equipped with hydrogen fuel cells, is expected to drive a total of 25,000 kilometers on two railway test tracks in Osong, North Chungcheong Provinc

May 31, 2023

Hyundai Motor taps ex-presidential aide as global affairs executive

Hyundai Motor Group has reportedly recruited Kim Il-bum, a former presidential secretary, to strengthen its global public affairs competency, according to sources on Tuesday. Kim, who resigned from the presidential secretary position in March, is expected to begin working as an executive vice president at the auto giant in July. He is expected to help the company cope with challenging tasks amid a global supply chain crisis and bolster networks with foreign governments. "We are aware that t

May 30, 2023

Han Sung Motor-backed students present media art at Plastic Art Seoul

Recipients of Han Sung Motor’s Dream Gream scholarship showcased their work at Plastic Art Seoul 2023, a Seoul art fair dedicated to sculptures and installations that took place over the weekend. Han Sung Motor, the official importer of Mercedes-Benz cars here, has sponsored young artistic talents through the program that offers scholarships and mentoring opportunities. For the latest exhibition, 40 students joined to present media art creations under the theme “The most precious thi

May 29, 2023

Asiana halts sales of exit row seats after door incident

Asiana Airlines, South Korea's second-largest airline, said Monday it has halted the sales of seats next to emergency exits following a recent incident in which a passenger opened an emergency exit door before landing. Currently, the air carrier operates two types of A320-200 aircraft, the same model that took flight during the door-opening incident, with 174 and 195 passenger seats, respectively. Sales of the two seats 26A and 30A in each aircraft will be discontinued indefinitely. An Asia

May 29, 2023

Passenger travel on Korea-China routes at 13% of pre-pandemic level

Passenger travel on Korea-Chinese routes stayed at 13 percent of pre-pandemic levels in the January-April period in contrast with a rapid recovery in other Asian routes, the transport ministry said Monday. In the first four months, the number of passengers on the routes between the two countries stood at 730,817, plunging from 5.65 million during the same period of 2019, according to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. But passenger travel on many other Asian routes is

May 29, 2023

Hyundai-LG Energy Solution to set up EV battery plant in US

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday that it has agreed with LG Energy Solution to jointly build an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in the US, expanding their footing in the burgeoning clean car market there. Under a joint investment of 5.7 trillion won ($4.3 billion), the two companies plan to start construction of the plant later this year. With an annual production capacity of 30 gigawatt-hours, enough to supply approximately 300,000 fully electric cars, the plant will commence operat

May 26, 2023

[Test Drive] Kona Electric flaunts longer range, bigger space

The all-new Kona Electric -- Hyundai Motor’s latest all-electric compact sport utility vehicle -- is looking to lure customers with a roomier interior, longer driving range and sound riding experience. The South Korean automaker on Tuesday held a test drive event for local journalists to ride the Kona EV over a 172-kilometer-long course beginning from Hanam, Gyeonggi Province and ending in Sokcho, Gangwon Province. At first glance, the all-electric SUV did not appear too “compact.&rd

May 26, 2023

Super typhoon leaves Korean travelers stranded in Guam, Saipan

Hundreds of Korean travelers who traveled to Northern Mariana Islands including Guam and Saipan are left stranded on the islands as of Thursday, with Super Typhoon Mawar lashing the territory with strongest downpour of wind and rain the region has seen in decades. According to Hana Tour, a Korean travel agency, approximately 230 travelers failed to take the return flight home on Tuesday due to the storm. "We heard from the local sources in Guam that Guam's airports will be closed until

May 25, 2023

SK On secures $944m funding to boost output

South Korean electric vehicle battery maker SK On has attracted $944 million in funding as part of its push to expand its presence in the burgeoning EV market. According to its parent company SK Innovation on Wednesday, $800 million will be secured from a consortium led by MBK Partners, the Korea-based private equity firm, which is composed of financial investors from the US and the Middle East. Another $144 million will be attracted from SNB Capital, an investment banking arm under Saudi Nati

May 25, 2023

Hyundai Mobis develops ‘communicative’ headlamp

Hyundai Mobis, a car parts maker affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, said Thursday it has developed a new headlamp that displays road signs on the road to prevent nighttime accidents. The high-definition lighting system visualizes road signs in texts or images and projects them on the road surface in real time. If there is a construction site ahead, the lamp shows a relevant symbol to alarm the driver. The lamp also projects a crosswalk sign at night to help secure pedestrians’ safety. Th

May 25, 2023

Renault Korea lures young drivers with NFT campaigns

Renault Korea Motors seeks to lure tech-savvy young drivers with its digital campaign “Create Your SM6,” the Korean unit of the French auto giant said Wednesday. The carmaker offers an artificial intelligence-based design tool, called Stable Diffusion, for participants to create their own SM6 sedan car and submit the image as a non-fungible token to win digital coins. Based on the car’s highest-trim model Inspire, almost 14,000 NFTs have been submitted ahead of Friday’s d

May 24, 2023

[Photo News] Peugeot 408 makes Asian debut in Seoul

Stellantis Korea on Wednesday unveiled the new Peugeot 408, a cross between a sedan and an SUV. The car’s Asian debut shows the nation’s strategic importance of Korea's fast-evolving car market, according to Peugeot brand CEO Linda Jackson during a press conference in Seoul. “Leading the trends automotive business, Korean market undoubtedly has a halo effect for global markets,” she said.

May 24, 2023

[Photo News] Slide and swing

Hyundai Motor Group has developed a new technology that allows cargo trucks to have doors with both swing and slide mechanisms, the Korean auto giant said Tuesday. Based on consultations with courier drivers, the new technology will undergo durability and performance tests for potential mass production.

May 23, 2023

Renault to set up R&D center in Busan

Renault Korea Motors said Monday it is setting up a research and development center in the southern port city of Busan, aiming to expand its presence as a strategic export base for the French auto giant. The carmaker signed a memorandum of understanding with the Busan city government and industrial and academic institutions there to join hands in creating an ecosystem for eco-friendly vehicles. Renault Korea Motors CEO Stephane Deblaise, Busan City Mayor Park Hyeong-joon and other officials part

May 22, 2023