SsangYong Motor again under court receivership, creditors aim to find new investor

SsangYong Motor Co. was placed under court receivership once again Thursday as its Indian parent Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has failed to attract an investor amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and its financial status is further worsening. The Seoul Bankruptcy Court approved the debt-rescheduling process for SsangYong Motor as US vehicle importer HAAH Automotive Holdings Inc. didn't submit a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire the financially troubled carmaker. Mahindra had been in talks wit

April 15, 2021

GM Korea to halt 2 plants over chip shortage next week

GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of General Motors Co., said Thursday it will suspend two of its three plants next week due to a lack of semiconductors parts. GM Korea will halt the No. 1 and No. 2 plants in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, from April 19-23 as the semiconductor supply continues to remain fluid globally, the company said in a statement. "We will continue to work closely with our supply base to find solutions for our suppliers' semiconductor requirements and to mit

April 15, 2021

Hyundai Motor rolls out rapid EV chargers at 12 rest stops

Hyundai Motor has installed its E-pit high-speed electric vehicle charging system at 12 rest stops on major expressways, as part of its efforts to expand their EV infrastructure, the company said Wednesday. The 350-kilowatt rapid chargers can charge up to 80 percent of an EV battery equipped with 800-volt system as quick as in 18 minutes. A total of 72 units, the first of its kind, have been installed on the country’s highway network, the automaker said. The stations will accommodate

April 14, 2021

Hyundai to resume production of IONIQ 5 on Thursday

Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday it will resume the plant that produces the IONIQ 5 all-electric model on Thursday following a weeklong suspension due to chip parts shortage. Hyundai Motor halted the No. 1 plant in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, which produces the IONIQ 5 and the Kona subcompact SUV, from April 7-14. The suspension at the No. 1 Ulsan plant comes amid a lack of semiconductor parts used in the Kona's front vehicle camera system and a problem in Hyundai Mobis Co.'s pro

April 14, 2021

Hyundai unveils all-new minivan Staria

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker, on Tuesday unveiled the all-new minivan Staria, two days ahead of its domestic sale. The Staria multipurpose vehicle comes with a 2.2-liter diesel engine or a 3.5-liter liquefied petroleum gas engine, Hyundai said in a statement. The Staria is available either as a passenger vehicle or a cargo vehicle. As a passenger vehicle, it comes in three versions with seven seats, nine seats or 11 seats, while as a cargo carrier, it comes with three se

April 13, 2021

Korean Air predicted to have turned profit on strong logistics demand

South Korea's flagship carrier Korean Air Lines Co. is expected to have turned a profit in the first quarter of 2021, data showed Sunday, as the company expanded its logistics business after the new coronavirus pandemic virtually suspended passenger travel. The country's top airline operator is expected to post an operating profit of 76.6 billion won ($68.3 million) for the January-March period, compared with a loss of 82.3 billion won posted a year earlier, according to a poll released by Yonh

April 11, 2021

Hyundai expands plant suspension on chip shortage

Hyundai Motor Co. said Friday it will temporarily suspend another domestic plant next week due to an electronic parts shortage. Hyundai will halt the operation of the Asan plant, 100 kilometers south of Seoul, which produces the Grandeur and Sonata sedans, from Monday to Tuesday, a company spokesman said over the phone. Previously, the country's biggest carmaker said it would suspend the No. 1 plant in Ulsan, 414 km southeast of Seoul, which produces the IONIQ 5 all-electric car and the Kona s

April 9, 2021

Kia launches K8 sedan, 1st model under new brand logo

Kia Corp., South Korea's second-biggest carmaker, on Thursday launched the K8 sedan, the first model under its new brand logo, in the domestic market. The K8 comes with a 2.5-liter gasoline, 3.5-liter gasoline or 3.5-liter liquefied petroleum injection engine. The model with a 1.6-liter gasoline turbo hybrid engine will be released next month, the company said in a statement. Kia has received 24,000 preorders for the new sedan in the past 12 working days, already achieving 30 percent of its s

April 8, 2021

SsangYong halts plant operations on chip parts shortage

Financially troubled carmaker SsangYong Motor Co. said Thursday it will suspend the operation of its local plant for a week due to lack of semiconductor chips. SsangYong will halt its plant in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, from April 8-16, with a plan to resume operations on April 19, the company said in a regulatory filing. The SUV-focused carmaker resumed operations on March 2 after halting the Pyeongtaek plant for 16 days in February as its subcontractors refused to supply parts

April 8, 2021

Hyundai suspends Ioniq 5 production on chip shortage

Hyundai Motor Co. said Wednesday it has suspended a domestic plant that produces the Ioniq 5 all-electric model due to a chip shortage. Hyundai said it will halt the operation of the No. 1 plant in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, which also produces the Kona subcompact SUV, due to lack of parts from April 7-14, a company spokesman said.  The weeklong suspension comes amid lack of semiconductor parts used in the Kona's front vehicle camera system and a problem in Hyundai Mobis

April 7, 2021

AeroK to launch its first scheduled flight next week

South Korean low cost carrier AeroK said Tuesday its first scheduled flight between Cheongju and Jeju will take off on April 15. The airline, which is based at Cheongju International Airport, will fly three round trips per day with its A320 aircraft between the largest city of North Chungcheong Province and Jeju Island. “Operation of our first scheduled flight had to be delayed as a result of the obstacle that is COVID-19, but we believe the news about our operation will be a silver lini

April 6, 2021

Hanjin KAL management feud comes to rest as KCGI-led alliance disbands

The power struggle over Hanjin KAL, the holding company of Hanjin Group, seemed to settle at last as the three-way alliance of an estranged sister of the Korean Air chairman, an activist fund and a builder officially disbanded, industry data showed Friday. In a regulatory filing, Grace Holdings, which is a special purpose firm of the activist fund Korea Corporate Government Improvement, Bando Engineering and Construction and Cho Hyun-ah said they have ended their agreement for joint ownership

April 2, 2021

Hyundai, Kia US sales jump 76% on SUVs in March

Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Corp., South Korea's two biggest carmakers, said Friday their combined US sales jumped 76 percent in March from a year earlier on robust demand for their SUV models. Hyundai and Kia sold a total 141,926 vehicles in the United States last month from 80,531 units a year ago, according to the companies' sales data. "Strong consumer confidence, stable inventory, a compelling lineup, attention-grabbing advertising and the efforts of our dealer partners all c

April 2, 2021

Kia's March sales jump 19% on SUV popularity

Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Thursday its sales gained 19 percent last month from a year earlier on solid demand for SUVs. Kia sold 251,362 vehicles in March, up from 231,543 units a year ago, the company said in a statement. Domestic sales reached 51,011 units last month, nearly the same level from a year earlier. Overseas sales rose 11 percent on-year to 200,351 units due to the low base effect from last year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the automotive industry, it

April 1, 2021

Hyundai's March sales rise 22% on SUV demand

Hyundai Motor Co. said Thursday its sales jumped 22 percent last month from a year earlier on robust demand for its SUV models despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's biggest carmaker sold 375,924 vehicles in March, up from 307,176 units a year earlier, helped by strong demand for the Palisade SUV, the Nexo hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle, the Genesis GV70 and GV80 SUVs, the company said in a statement. Domestic sales climbed 2.3 percent to 73,810 units from 72,180 during the same per

April 1, 2021

Renault Samsung's March sales tumble 43% on weak domestic demand

Renault Samsung Motors Corp. said Thursday its sales plunged 43.2 percent last month from a year earlier due to weak domestic deman. The South Korean unit of Renault S.A. sold 8,572 vehicles in March, down from 15,100 units a year earlier, the company said in a statement. Domestic sales tumbled 52.7 percent on-year to 5,695 units last month, and exports slid 6.8 percent to 2,877 units over the cited period, the company said. A total of 102 Renault Zoes, its supermini electric car, were sold i

April 1, 2021

[Behind the Wheel] Ford Ranger Raptor, Wildtrak can stand on some of toughest terrains

In South Korea, where a great portion of the population is concentrated in urban areas, pickup trucks are not the most popular vehicle types. But with the rising trend of outdoor activities, and as more adventure enthusiasts find fun in driving through the mountainous terrains of the country, interest in pickup trucks is increasing. According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association, the pickup truck market had hovered around 20,000 units in annual sales, but that number has grown,

April 1, 2021

GM Korea's March sales dip 21.8% amid pandemic slump

GM Korea Co. said Thursday its sales decreased 21.8 percent last month from a year earlier on weak demand at home and abroad. The South Korean unit of General Motors Co. sold 29,633 vehicles in March, down from 37,981 units the previous year, the company said in a statement. Domestic sales sank 31.4 percent on-year to 6,149 units, and exports declined 18.9 percent to 23,484 autos over the cited period, it said. The Detroit carmaker has three Korean plants -- two in Bupyeong and one in Changwo

April 1, 2021

Hyundai teases Santa Cruz ahead of US launch this month

Hyundai Motor Co. on Thursday released a teaser for the Santa Cruz pickup ahead of its unveiling in the United States this month. The Santa Cruz sport adventure vehicle (SAV), a model that sits between a sport utility vehicle and a pickup truck, boasts a bold yet sophisticated design, advanced connectivity and an all-wheel drive platform, the company said in a statement. "Santa Cruz, with its bold styling, breaks open all-new segment territory, both for Hyundai and the industry as a whole

April 1, 2021

5 firms to recall nearly 230,000 vehicles over faulty parts

Hyundai Motor Co., BMW Korea and three other companies will voluntarily recall nearly 240,000 vehicles to fix faulty components, the transport ministry said Thursday. This is the latest in a series of recalls by carmakers operating in South Korea and vehicle importers due to problems with vehicle components. The five companies, including Kia Corp., Ford Sales & Service Korea Inc. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) Korea, are recalling a combined 238,914 units due to faulty components

April 1, 2021