A total of 5,204 vehicles across 19 different non-domestic car models are being recalled by local distributors of brands including Honda, Nissan, Land Rover and Maserati, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Thursday.Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will be initiating a combined recall of 3,565 vehicles from four different models.  (Yonhap)Honda Korea will recall 1,407 Accords that are equipped with Takata air bags, which have led to fatal accidents in other countries beca

Mobility Feb. 2, 2017

Select students of Mercedes-Benz’s Mobile Academy visit the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. (Mercedes-Benz Korea)Select students from the annual Mercedes-Benz Mobile Academy won the opportunity to visit the luxury auto giant’s headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, the company said Tuesday. 　The Mobile Academy is an industry-academy joint project run by the carmaker, aimed to nurture and develop students looking to pursue a career in the automotive industry. 　Fifteen students were

Mobility Feb. 1, 2017

Following the recent inauguration of US President Donald Trump, economic tensions are soaring as the new US administration’s tougher trade policy stance and “America first” approach may drastically impact the terms of the current Korea-US Free Trade Agreement. 　This year is already shaping up to be a monumental period for the two countries' economic and political relationship with a new US president, the pending election of a new South Korean president, as well as a new US Ambassador to Korea fo

Feb. 1, 2017

Domestic automobile production saw a 7.2 percent decrease last year compared to 2015, marking the lowest production rate for local automakers in six years, according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association.　Seven domestic automakers -- Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, GM Korea, Ssangyong Motor, Renault Samsung Motors, Daewoo Bus and Tata Daewoo -- manufactured a combined total of roughly 4.23 million units in Korea last year, down 330,000 vehicles. 　The decline in domestic production is wide

Mobility Jan. 31, 2017

Special prosecutors said Monday that they plan to seek another arrest warrant for Choi Soon-sil, a confidante of President Park Geun-hye at the center of a high-profile corruption scandal, after she refused to undergo questioning over bribery allegations.Choi rejected the questioning in apparent protest against what she calls a "coercive" probe. The probe team, led by Independent Counsel Park Young-soo, has dismissed her criticism of the investigation as groundless."We plan to seek an arrest war

Politics Jan. 30, 2017

A Danish court decided on Monday to extend the detainment of the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, the woman at the center of a massive corruption scandal in South Korea. Chung Yoo-ra has been in the custody of Danish authorities since she was arrested in this northern city of Aalborg earlier this year for illegal stay. She is under suspicion of receiving favors from a college in Seoul during the admissions process and on tests by taking advantage of her mother's ties to the president. Choi Soon-sil`s

Politics Jan. 30, 2017

　It has been roughly a decade since smart keys first appeared in Korea, allowing drivers to lock and unlock their car door via the press of a button. However, with the advent of smart technology, industry insiders are expecting car keys to make even more significantly high-tech strides by 2020. 　Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. revealed late last month that it is currently developing a wrist-band-type smart key for the first time in the local automotive industry. The smart device is e

Mobility Jan. 30, 2017

Impeached President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday denied a slew of corruption allegations against her once again, calling them "preposterous, colossal" lies.   During an hour-long interview with Jeong Kyu-jae, the chief editorial writer of the local Korea Economic Daily newspaper, Park said that "the crippling scandal involving her and her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil appears to have been premeditated."   The interview at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae came amid expectations that the em

Politics Jan. 25, 2017

LG Electronics on Wednesday announced its performance improved last year, although its mobile device unit performed worse than a year earlier.  　According to a regulatory filing, LG said it posted 55.4 trillion won ($47.5 billion) in sales and 1.34 trillion won in operating profit in 2016. 　While its annual sales dropped 2 percent on-year, LG saw a 12.2 percent gain in its operating profit, owing to the largest-ever profits from its home appliance and TV businesses. 　The company’s home appliance

Technology Jan. 25, 2017

South Korea, China and Japan are unlikely to hold a trilateral summit in February as was originally planned amid a complicated diplomatic landscape involving the three Asian neighbors, a Seoul official said Wednesday.Japan tried to host the summit in December, but it was delayed, as China didn't respond to Tokyo's proposed timetable. Ever since, negotiations have been under way to hold the summit in the middle of February. "South Korea, China and Japan have made efforts to arrange a meeting in F

Politics Jan. 25, 2017