Kumho Tire launches ultra-high performance tire MajestyX Solus

South Korean tire maker Kumho Tire said Monday that it has launched MajestyX Solus, a new ultra-high performance tire targeting the premium vehicle market. The latest tire is a luxury sequel to the existing Majesty Solus, and will be marketed as the tire maker’s flagship product lineup for luxury cars. 　 The tire maximizes brake performance and tread durability by utilizing precise high-dispersion silica compounds, according to the company. This technology minimizes abrasions and allows

April 11, 2022

Transition team chief meets with Hyundai Motor chairman

Ahn Cheol-soo, the chief of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s transition team, and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun met on Friday to discuss the country’s future mobility outlook as well as measures for nurturing and expanding the industry’s workforce. Ahn and other committee member lawmakers visited Hyundai Motor Group’s R&D center in Namyang, Gyeonggi Province.  “A future mobility industry is the next focus of the country’s strategic busin

April 8, 2022

Incheon airport to adopt new security screening system

Starting in September, passengers departing from Incheon International Airport won’t need to take out their laptops or liquid items from their carry-on bags.  According to Incheon International Airport on Wednesday, it will adopt a smart security screening system to shorten the entire departure process by applying advanced technology which will automatically detect prohibited liquids and hazardous items including weapons, radioactive materials and certain types of lithium batteries.

April 6, 2022

LG Energy Solution expects no more EV battery recalls from renewed probe

South Korean electric vehicle battery maker LG Energy Solution said Wednesday it does not expect any more recalls as a result of a probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a federal auto safety agency in the United States. “In regards to the major recalls of General Motors’ Bolt, Hyundai Motor’s Kona and Ioniq, an NHTSA procedure has been completed and settlements with auto makers have been reached, so we expect no more issues regarding the battery recall,&

April 6, 2022

9th International EV Expo to kick off in Jeju next month

The annual International Electric Vehicle Expo -- the largest exhibition on electric vehicles in the world -- will kick off next month, bringing industry experts and visitors from around the world to South Korea’s resort island of Jeju. Some 200 companies in the e-mobility sector are to participate in the exhibition, which kicks off on May 3 for a four-day run, according to the organizer. The list of participants includes Tesla and Volvo as exhibitors for the first time. A virtual exhibi

April 5, 2022

Korean Air named cargo operator of 2022

National flag carrier Korean Air was selected as cargo operator of the year for 2022 for addressing global cargo capacity shortages with new gateways and freighters, Air Transport World announced Friday. Korean Air has “continued to go from strength to strength, remaining at the forefront of addressing the global cargo capacity shortages resulting from the pandemic,” noted ATW, a publication for the global aviation industry. Korean Air opened two gateways in the United States to a

April 3, 2022

Hyundai, Kia's US sales down 3.7% in Q1

Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Corp. said Saturday their combined sales in the United States fell 3.7 percent in the first quarter compared with a year ago due to the prolonged pandemic and chip shortages. The corporate duo sold a total of 322,593 vehicles in the US in the first three months of this year, according to the companies' sales data. In March alone, the two automakers sold a combined 123,507 units, a 14.8 percent decline from a year earlier. Hyundai's US sales in the fir

April 2, 2022

Han Sung Motor launches 11th Dream Gream scholarship project

Han Sung Motor, the official Mercedes-Benz dealer, announced Tuesday the launch of its 11th Dream Gream scholarship program for artistically gifted students through the metaverse platform Zepeto. The Dream Gream scholarship program supports both financially and academically middle and high school students that want to pursue a career in arts, according to Han Sung Motor. The launching ceremony was held on a virtual space in Zepeto named “Dream Gream Meta-planet” that portrayed the

March 29, 2022

[Test Drive] Volkswagen’s new Arteon: Spacious, sporty, efficient

For those that have a lot to carry in their cars but do not want to give up on the sporty features, Volkswagen’s new Arteon could be your next pick. The fastback sedan’s exterior sports both sharp and wavy lines, giving an edge to the otherwise classic-style car. Adding to the stylish design are Volkswagen’s LED headlights that project the carmaker’s logo onto the ground when the driver starts the car engine at night. The interior of the new Arteon shows a mix of moder

March 28, 2022

Hankook Tire to launch tire brand for EVs

Hankook Tire and Technology said it would unveil the world’s first full lineup of tires s for electric vehicles in May. The world’s sixth-biggest tiremaker by sales said it will launch the iON tire brand for EVs in the European market first, and then in South Korea in August. The iON will come in six products from 18-inch to 22-inch summer, winter and all-season tires for both passenger cars and sport-utility vehicles. The iON was developed to target high-performance premium EVs f

March 28, 2022

[Newsmaker] SsangYong Motor back on sale as Edison’s acquisition fails

South Korean mid-sized automaker Edison Motors’ proposed acquisition of SsangYong Motor has been cancelled due to payment failure, putting the debt-laden SUV maker’s journey to search for new owner back to starting line. 　 According to SsangYong Motor on Monday, its acquisition contract with a consortium led by Edison Motors was terminated after the buyer failed to pay 274.3 billion won ($223.7 million) by March 25, the deadline date designated by the Seoul Bankruptcy Court to pay

March 28, 2022

Hyundai Motor’s Ioniq 5 ranks top in Auto Bild’s EV test

Hyundai Motor Group said Monday that its flagship electric vehicle Ioniq 5 has ranked top in German automotive magazine Auto Bild’s EV test, beating other European rivals such as Audi Q4 e-tron and Polestar 2. In the latest edition of Auto Bild, the vehicles were tested and evaluated based on seven categories including performance of powertrain, driving comfort, connectivity, eco-friendliness and price competitiveness.  Ioniq 5 ranked top in four categories with a total of 573

March 28, 2022

SsangYong Motor takeover in jeopardy as buyer fails to pay

A takeover deal of debt-laden SsangYong Motor appears to have fallen into a quagmire again as its buyer, local electric bus manufacturer Edison Motors, failed to pay the bill. The consortium led by Edison Motors failed to pay the remaining payment of 274.3 billion won ($224.1 million) by Friday, local media reported Sunday, quoting industry sources. Without complete payment, the Edison Motors-led rehabilitation plan for the financially troubled SUV maker is rendered meaningless, industry watch

March 27, 2022

Travel ban lifted for GM Korea CEO

The South Korean government on Friday lifted an overseas travel ban on GM Korea CEO Kaher Kazem, almost 16 months after the Australian GM executive was barred from leaving the country on charges of illegally outsourcing labor. Kazen is currently standing trial for violating labor laws after the carmaker was found to have hired some 1,719 workers from 24 subcontractors to work at its local plants between September 2017 and December 2020. The Seoul headquarters is suspected to have directly inst

March 25, 2022

[KH Explains] Where can you travel from Korea quarantine-free?

If you are fully vaccinated in South Korea or elsewhere and have your vaccination status registered in the country, you can now enter without quarantine on the way back. Those who are fully vaccinated abroad but have not been able to register their vaccination status in the COOV system will also be free of the seven-day long self-quarantine, which is currently required, from next month. As of Wednesday, 54 countries and territories around the world have banned entry from foreigners, of which 2

March 23, 2022

Kia EV6 wins Best of the Best award in 2022 Red Dot Design Awards

Kia’s first all-electric vehicle EV6 won the Best of the Best award in the prestigious 2022 Red Dot Design Awards, according to Kia on Tuesday. The Red Dot Design Award is among the world’s most prestigious design awards that reward the most innovative design concepts besides the iF Design Award and International Design Excellence Awards. EV6 also claimed the Red Dot Innovative Products awards. “Kia implemented its new design philosophy ‘Opposites United’ on EV6,

March 22, 2022

Carmakers gearing up to reshape used car market

After the Ministry of SMEs and Startups greenlighted the large automotive companies’ entry to the secondhand car market, carmakers here have been quick to announce their plans to launch secondhand services within the year.  Their entry could bring huge change to the used car market here, which has been protected by the government until recently for microenterprises. Lotte Rental, which operates a rent-a-car business, announced Friday that it would also enter the used car market in

March 20, 2022

[Test Drive] Electrified GV70 proves smooth EV shift in Genesis series

Genesis, Hyundai Motor’s standalone luxury brand, proved that it not only makes great combustion engine cars but also premium electric cars by introducing the Genesis Electrified GV70. The luxury electric SUV has inherited much of the exterior and interior design of the original GV70 which had been praised by many car lovers for its sophisticated design. But some changes here and there helped the electrified model look much more dynamic and athletic than its previous model. For instance

March 18, 2022

Hyundai to produce IONIQ 5 in Indonesia plant

South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday it will produce the IONIQ 5 all-electric model in its first manufacturing plant in Southeast Asia. Hyundai Motor completed the 150,000 unit-a-year plant in the Deltamas industrial complex near Cikarang, 40 kilometers east of Jakarta, in December. The Indonesian plant is already producing the compact Creta SUV, a strategic model for the region, and is expected to churn out the Santa Fe SUV in the first half and a small multi-purpose vehicle in the

March 16, 2022

Renault‘s Korean unit carves out Samsung from its brand name

Renault’s Korean unit announced Wednesday that it has started the process of removing Samsung from its name and rebranding itself as Renault Korea Motors. The carmaker explained that it hopes to enhance its brand image as a domestic carmaker with its new name by replacing Samsung with Korea despite being part of Renault Group and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. “Under the new name Renault Korea Motors, we will revise product and service competitiveness to meet the high sta

March 16, 2022