Controversy escalated here on Friday over a BMW executive’s comments, apparently blaming South Koreans’ driving for the vehicles catching fire.In an interview with the Xinhua News Agency, BMW spokesperson Jochen Frey identified “local traffic conditions” and Koreans’ “driving style“ as two of the many reasons for a series of incidents where BMW cars burst into flames here. This file photo dated Aug. 13 shows a BMW M3 vehicle that burst in to flames while on highway. (Yonhap)The local branch of t

Mobility Aug. 17, 2018

Hanwha Energy, the energy arm of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group, broke ground Thursday to build a 50-megawatt hydrogen fuel cell plant in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province.The plant is the first in the world to use byproduct hydrogen as fuel, officials said.The plant is to start commercial production from June, 2020 and is set to provide 40,000 megawatt-hours of electricity.  (Hanwha Energy)To build the plant, Hanwha Energy has established a special purpose corporation named Daesan Gree

Industry Aug. 16, 2018

Posco Energy, an affiliate of South Korean steel giant Posco, appears to be in the process of ditching its money-losing fuel cell business by establishing a new joint venture with a third party, a lawmaker claimed Thursday.According to documents compiled by Rep. Kim Kyu-hwan of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, the company has been seeking ways to spin off its fuel cell manufacturing unit first and then turning it into a joint venture with new investors. The plan is widely expected to mea

Industry Aug. 16, 2018

Special investigators on Wednesday requested an arrest warrant for Kim Kyoung-soo, the incumbent governor of South Gyeongsang Province, over his involvement in an online opinion-rigging scandal.They sought the court’s approval to arrest Kim on suspicion of obstruction of business and election law violations.Kim was grilled twice by the special counsel investigating the case, on Aug. 6 and 9. South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo speaks to reporters after leaving the special counsel`s off

Politics Aug. 15, 2018

A BMW vehicle not subject to the carmaker’s nationwide recall caught fire Wednesday, deepening the mystery of the cause of a series of incidents that have fueled safety concerns here.　A BMW X1 vehicle burst into flames while traveling near a village in Imsil country of North Jeolla Province at 4:17 a.m., according to police and firefighters. No injury was reported. The vehicle, manufactured in 2012, is the 40th BMW vehicle to have caught fire this year. However, the compact SUV powered by a dies

Mobility Aug. 15, 2018

Jang Ka-yoon, a 27-year-old office worker in Seoul, had thought about leaving her home country after watching TV news reports on the worsened security situation upon threats exchanged between North Korea and the US last year. Fluent in English, Jang said she had imagined herself living in Canada or New Zealand, as both countries are known to have good environments for education and high living standards, if she had to choose to leave the country in case of an imminent war.　  This undated photo s

Social Affairs Aug. 15, 2018

The South Korean government ordered BMW vehicles subject to recall off the roads if they have not gone through an emergency checkup after dozens of cars burst into flames this year.In a nationally televised address, Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee urged the head of municipalities to issue administrative orders to stop BMW drivers from using their vehicles, stressing escalating public safety issues related to the German cars. This is the first case of the government banning the operations of a sp

Mobility Aug. 14, 2018

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles on South Korea’s latest measures, hurdles and the market drive for hydrogen economy. This is the second installment. -- Ed. YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province -- Hyundai Motor, which introduced the world’s first mass produced fuel cell vehicle, is reviewing production of fuel cell trucks, hoping to achieve economies of scale in hydrogen-powered mobility. Cars powered by hydrogen are not as popular as electric vehicles. But battery cars are no match for

Mobility Aug. 13, 2018

In the world of automobiles, Hyundai Motor is still perceived as a fast follower. But when it comes to hydrogen technologies, the South Korean carmaker is a pioneer, leading a herd of auto giants that have been searching for a new way to replace the internal combustion engine and reduce greenhouse gases.It all began in 1998, when the carmaker joined a government research and development project into fuel cell technology. Back then, Hyundai was a latecomer in the field of hydrogen energy, with ma

Mobility Aug. 13, 2018

BMW Korea, the local importer and distributor of the German luxury car, on Thursday faced escalating criticism from customers, the government and the political circle, as its vehicles continued to catch fire on motorways here, despite its apology earlier this week and nationwide safety checks. BMW 730Ld that caught fire on Thursday morning was manufactured in 2011, not subject for the carmaker's recall. (Yonhap)Two BMW diesel vehicles -- the 320d and the 730Ld -- reportedly caught fire this morn

Mobility Aug. 9, 2018

Posco Chairman Choi Jeong-woo has sent an email to executives to encourage suggestions for reforms at the steelmaker, the company said Tuesday.Choi appears to be seeking reform ideas from executives and stakeholders of the world’s fifth-largest steelmaker, for a new vision he plans to present in the next three months. Posco Chairman Choi Jeong-woo (Posco)Before taking office, Choi initiated the “Posco Love Letter” campaign to hear the public’s thoughts on the former state-run company, not just f

Mobility Aug. 7, 2018

The tire arm of Hyosung Corp. saw its market share in four Southeast Asian countries grow to 40 percent this year from 22 percent two years ago, the company said Monday.The number of clients in India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam also increased from two to 12 in the same period, according to Hyosung Advanced Materials. (Hyosung Corp.)The company’s technical team has contributed in expanding its market share by hold regular seminars to introduce its latest materials, as sales of vehicles have

Mobility Aug. 6, 2018

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles on South Korea’s latest measures, hurdles and the market drive for hydrogen economy. This is the first installment. -- Ed.After a decade of dragging its feet, the South Korean government has come up with a set of measures to nurture an ecosystem for hydrogen vehicles, seeking a transition from fossil fuels to zero emission energy.For more than a decade, the state drive for a hydrogen economy has been sidelined, due to policy inconsistencies thr

Mobility Aug. 5, 2018

It started with smoke coming from the engine or an alert sign going off to advise the driver to add more coolant, according to owners of BMW vehicles that caught fire in motion in recent weeks. Sharing their experiences of watching their BMW vehicles burning on the road, some said via online communities that they at least had time to escape from the vehicles as it was not like the engine exploded.Since December 2017, a total of 30 BMW vehicles have caught fire on motorways here. Of the number, 1

Mobility July 31, 2018

BMW Korea, the local importer and distributer of the German carmaker, vowed to complete the inspection of more than 100,000 vehicles suspected of having faulty parts by operating its service centers nationwide 24 hours a day for the next two weeks.In an announcement released Monday afternoon, the company said that all vehicles subject to its voluntary recall would go through an hourlong inspection service and that the parts would be replaced. Alternative vehicles will be provided during inspecti

Mobility July 30, 2018