SK Holdings, the holding company of the nation’s second-largest conglomerate by market cap, has invested $100 million into American smart glass manufacturer Kinestral in a deal that gives the Korean company the right to manufacture and sell the product in China.Smart glass tints to darker neutral grays to block solar heat and light when voltage is applied. The product, used both for residential and commercial buildings, blocks 99 percent of ultraviolet light and reduces 30 percent of heat energy

Mobility Jan. 30, 2019

South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor is planning to launch its luxury brand Genesis in China, seeking a change in its sales strategy that has only targeted the mass market for years.Hyundai Motor is in preparation for the official launch of the brand, said officials in Seoul, and is looking for places to start the business in Shanghai.The carmaker is reviewing launches in the regional basis of the world’s largest auto market along with Shanghai to compete with other luxury automakers that have

Mobility Jan. 30, 2019

South Korean solar panel maker Hanwha Q Cells was named the top photovoltaics installer in Europe and Australia this year by research institutes in the respective regions that surveyed its brand recognition, management and market share, the company said Tuesday.In Europe, Hanwha Q Cells has remained in the top position since its acquisition of German company Q Cells in 2012, and for four years in Australia. The survey was conducted and announced by EuPD Research, an information provider on busin

Mobility Jan. 29, 2019

BMW Korea, the local branch of the German luxury carmaker, is betting on sales of the all-new 3 Series and X5 in the first quarter of this year. The seventh generation of the 3 Series, BMW’s best-selling series for more than 40 years, is ready to hit the market in March with a renewed design, technology-enhanced features and upgraded performance, the company said in a statement. 　 BMW 3 Series (BMW Korea)The sports sedan, more than 15 million units of which have sold worldwide, was unveiled at t

Mobility Jan. 29, 2019

SsangYong Motor plans to renew its signature sport utility vehicle Korando in eight years next month, the company said Monday.Unveiling a teaser image of the vehicle, the company said it has the most “flamboyant” digital interface, state-of-the-art tech features and a sophisticated body design. The vehicle, code-named C300, is a successor to the Korando C SUV upholding the legacy of the 37-year-old brand. Korando is the oldest SUV brand in South Korea.A teaser image of Korando (SsangYong Motor)T

Mobility Jan. 28, 2019

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won stressed the role of businesses in creating a sustainable economy in a discussion session on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the company said Friday.At a session jointly hosted by Boston Consulting Group, the head of South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate shared his experience of pursuing ways to promote the sharing economy nationwide by facilitating tangible and intangible assets held by his companies.Taking an example of SK Inn

Industry Jan. 25, 2019

Hyundai Motor Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun has been named co-chair of the Hydrogen Council, a global alliance of hydrogen technologies launched to promote the energy transition from fossil fuels, the organization said Thursday.Chung replaces Yang Woong-chul, a former vice chairman of Hyundai Motor who left the carmaker late last year, and joins incumbent Co-chair Benoit Potier, chairman and CEO of Air Liquide, to lead the council for the next two years. (Yonhap)The Hydrogen Council said

Mobility Jan. 24, 2019

Hyundai Motor has signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam’s Thanh Cong Group to set up a joint sales venture as part of efforts to expand its presence in the Southeast Asian country, the company said Thursday.Under the agreement, the companies will work together to expand sales and after-service networks to cater to growing demand in the country’s auto market. Vietnam’s auto market grew 27 percent last year. (Hyundai Motor)Established in 1999, Thanh Cong Group is a Vietnamese conglomer

Mobility Jan. 24, 2019

Targeting 20-something first-time car buyers, South Korean carmaker Kia Motors unveiled the third-generation model of its signature compact sports utility vehicle, the Soul, Wednesday, highlighting its upgraded power, high-tech features and competitive price. Returning to the market for the first time in six years, the Soul Booster boasts a 1.6-liter turbo engine that can produce up to 204 horsepower or 27 kilogram-meters of torque, making it the most powerful car in the CUV segment.  Kwon Hyeok

Mobility Jan. 23, 2019

McDonald’s in Korea will replace all of its motorbikes used for its delivery service with electric scooters by 2021, the Korean branch of the fast food chain said Tuesday.“In the next three years, we are going to replace around 1,400 vehicles (operated by) restaurants under direct management with electric bikes,” it said in a statement. Electric bikes are lined up at a McDonald's chain in Jeju. (McDonald's Korea)The fast food giant has placed around 40 electric bikes late last year for its opera

Mobility Jan. 22, 2019

South Korean auto parts-maker Hyundai Mobis has secured $1.7 billion worth of overseas orders from foreign carmakers last year, marking a record on-year increase of 40 percent, the company said Tuesday.Overseas sales of core auto components by the company have also shown rapid growth, having shot up from $500 million in 2015 to $1.2 billion in 2017. (Hyundai Mobis)The company has secured around 60 percent of its overseas orders -- worth $1 billion -- from electric vehicle manufacturers from Chin

Mobility Jan. 22, 2019

Driving a sports car on slippery roads in wintertime is definitely not a smart thing to do, but can be fun if you know how to handle the adrenaline-stimulating horsepower from a turbocharged engine. And the advanced safety features of the latest sports cars to hit the market, including GM’s all-new Camaro and Mercedes-Benz’s 400 d 4Matic, ensure a driving experience that’s fun but not terrifying.Mercedes-Benz`s CLS 400 d 4 Matic run on slippery roads on Dec. 13, 2018. (Cho Chung-un/The Korea Her

Mobility Jan. 20, 2019

North European and classic American styles have prevailed among interior design fanatics in South Korea in recent years.But before the invasion of Western culture, it was mostly wooden furniture -- made from either maple or paulownia -- that was favored by aristocrats in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Korea Furniture Museum in Seongbuk-dong, northern Seoul, invites visitors to take a break -- and perhaps, travel back in time -- inside hanok, or traditional Korean houses, where more than 2,500

Industry Jan. 17, 2019

South Korea will produce 6.2 million units of fuel cell electric vehicles and build 1,200 refilling stations across the country by 2040, in a major industrial push aimed at securing energy independence and assuming a leadership role in hydrogen technology. President Moon Jae-in (center) looks at a model of the hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle Nexo during a visit to a Hyundai Motor facility in Ulsan on Thursday. (Yonhap)In its road map announced Thursday, the government said it would diversify

Mobility Jan. 17, 2019

South Korea will increase the number of hydrogen-powered vehicles on the roads by 80,000 units in the next four years, the finance minister said Wednesday.Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki said at a ministerial meeting on innovation-led growth in Seoul that the new fuel-cell electric vehicle target is part of a broad strategy aimed at building an ecosystem for hydrogen industries. It would include producers of the fuel as well as technologies that store and t

Mobility Jan. 16, 2019