[Herald Interview] GM Korea to bolster safety management in time of e-mobility

As the automobile industry transitions towards electrification, GM Korea is establishing new safety measures to address potential risks associated with new technologies in manufacturing electric vehicles. Wayne O’Brien, chief safety officer at GM Korea, told The Korea Herald last week that electrification program does bring different safety exposures, particularly in the form of energy, and that they are in the process of developing robust systems to help employees understand all the criti

Nov. 13, 2022

SsangYong Motor graduates from court-led debt rescheduling program

SsangYong Motor Co. said Friday it has graduated from the court-led debt rescheduling program nineteen months after it was placed under court receivership amid the COVID-19 pandemic. SsangYong Motor applied for court receivership on April 15, 2021, after its Indian parent Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. failed to attract an investor due to its worsening financial status amid the pandemic. The Seoul Bankruptcy Court approved SsangYong's debt payment plans in August after the court picked a loca

Nov. 11, 2022

Auto exports jump 28% in October on solid demand for eco-friendly cars

South Korea's car exports jumped 28.5 percent on-year last month on brisk demand for eco-friendly cars, data showed Friday. The value of outbound shipments of automobiles came to $4.92 billion last month, the largest ever for any October, according to the data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. In terms of volume, a total of 208,544 vehicles were sold last month, up 30.2 percent from the previous year, the data showed. By region, exports to North America jumped 60.2 percent to $2.3

Nov. 11, 2022

[Photo News] Flying car concept

A concept model of Hyundai Motor's personal air vehicle S-A1 is displayed Thursday at the 2022 K-UAM Confex exhibition, an urban air mobility event, held at a hotel in Yeongjong Island, near Incheon. It runs through Friday.

Nov. 10, 2022

Renault’s QM6 sales stay strong

Renault Korea said Tuesday it sold a total of 2,007 units of the QM6 in October, as the top-selling LPG SUV increasingly appeals to drivers with its spacious interior and comfortable driving. The sales figure accounted for nearly half of the total car sales of the French carmaker, at 4,339 last month. The car’s exports also surged 41.9 percent to 2,449 units compared to the same period last year. The carmaker picked the car’s spacious interior as the key point of attraction to local

Nov. 8, 2022

Is Hyundai Motor bolstering its China strategy?

Hyundai Motor is once again betting big on the Chinese market, this time on commercial vehicles through a deal with a state-run international investment bank on Tuesday. The deal is part of a new strategy for the Korean carmaker, which is targeting the world’s largest market where foreign carmakers are struggling to expand the pie. According to Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Motor Group China signed a memorandum of understanding with the capital management department of state-owned China Internati

Nov. 8, 2022

Congestion levels of rush hour subways similar to that of Itaewon tragedy: data

Commuter data published Thursday by South Korean telecommunications provider SKT showed that during the peak of rush hour, Seoul’s subways have similar levels of congestion as the Itaewon alley during Saturday’s crowd surge tragedy, raising safety concerns. According to data collected between Aug. 1 and Monday, Seoul Metro’s Line No. 1 operates at 252 percent of its passenger capacity at 6:40 p.m. as it passes by Guro Station towards Guil Station, carrying commuters home. Train

Nov. 3, 2022

Jeju kicks off autonomous driving service

South Korea’s Transport Ministry announced Wednesday that it will begin operating an autonomous driving transportation service that can transport tourists and local residents around Jeju Island starting from Thursday. The autonomous driving vehicles will travel two routes. One will travel 16 kilometers back and forth from Jeju International Airport to the road along the coast of Jeju Island passing through Yongduam Rock and Iho Tewoo Beach, and the other will travel 5 kilometers within the

Nov. 2, 2022

Hyundai Motor chief requests Slovakia’s support for Busan’s Expo bid

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun visited Slovakia to request its support for South Korean port city Busan’s bid to host the World Expo in 2030, to the auto giant said Sunday. Chung visited Slovakia on the leg of his European trip to meet country leaders. He met with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala last week. Slovakia holds a significant status as the chair country of Visegrad Group, a cultural and political alliance of four Central European countries that also includes Czec

Oct. 30, 2022

Hyundai Motor Group to promote Busan’s 2030 Expo bid in Latin America

Hyundai Motor Group will launch promotional activities in Latin America to support South Korean port city Busan’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo, the carmaker said Thursday. According to the company, Hyundai Motor President and CEO Chang Jae-hoon will visit three Latin American countries – the Bahamas, Chile and Paraguay – and meet high-level government officials to explain Busan's competitiveness and the port city’s future vision for hosting the global event. The Latin

Oct. 27, 2022

Amid IRA setback, Hyundai Motor Group breaks ground for new EV plant in US

  Hyundai Motor Group on Wednesday officially kicked off a construction of its first electric vehicle-dedicated manufacturing plant in Georgia, US, gearing up for mass production of 300,000 cars annually from the first half of 2025 amid the US government pushing ahead with a full implementation of a new law that removes subsidies on electric vehicle made outside of American soil. The envisioned plant named Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) illustrates the carmaker’s latest

Oct. 26, 2022

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