With the popularity of larger, spacious cars globally, South Korea saw sales of recreational vehicles hit 300,000 units in the first half of the year. According to five major carmakers here -- Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, SsangYong Motors, Renault Samsung and General Motors -- a total of 303,315 RVs were sold here from January to June. This accounted for 48.4 percent of total sales of cars here, an increase of about 3 percentage points from the same period the previous year. RVs refer to

Mobility July 14, 2019

South Korea’s auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis unveiled its first driverless robotaxi in Russia in a joint development with Russian information technology company Yandex, it said Thursday. The two companies will test up to 100 robot taxis across the cities in Russia including Moscow by the year-end. The robotaxis were developed on the platform of Hyundai Motor’s eighth-generation Sonata that was launched earlier this year. In March, Hyundai Mobis and Yandex signed a memorandum of

Industry July 12, 2019

Like any other ordinary day at a shopping boulevard in Gangnam, a popular district in southern Seoul, stores conducted business as usual on Monday.A flock of shoppers were busy rifling through items at summer discount deal corners and walking down the aisle of new products at stores, including ABC Mart, a Japan-owned shoes and clothing company.“A call for boycott campaigns (on Japanese goods) doesn’t really affect me,” a shopper told the Korea Herald.“In the same way that

Industry July 10, 2019

South Korea’s second-largest full-service carrier Asiana Airlines said Wednesday it has newly added a flight route to Ulaanbaatar from Tuesday -- a lucrative route monopolized by Korean Air for almost three decades.  In February, the Transport Ministry gave Asiana approval to fly the highly sought-after route linking South Korea and Mongolia. The Incheon to Ulaanbaatar route is being operated with Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which can seat 290 passengers. Flights on the route will

Industry July 10, 2019

A record-high 42.6 million passengers used Gimpo Airport and 13 other provincial airports in the first half of the year, Korean Airports Corp. data showed Tuesday, mainly due to low-cost carriers’ new international routes. According to KAC, the total number of passengers who used 14 provincial airports -- excluding Incheon Airport -- inched up 4.1 percent compared to the previous year, breaking the previous year’s record of 40.9 million passengers. The airports were located

Industry July 9, 2019

South Korean food chain operator SF Innovation is officially launching its Korean food brand School Food in Hong Kong by opening a store in Tseung Kwan O, the company said Monday.  The new store, the third of its kind in Hong Kong, will be located in Metro City Plaza and will showcase the grab-and-go food concept. Metro City Plaza is one of the largest shopping centers in the Tseung Kwan O area, run by Hong Kong’s real estate group Henderson Group.The company said it aims to offe

Industry July 8, 2019

Hyundai Motor Group has seen an increase in its US sales for 11 consecutive months, the South Korean automaker’s US office said Friday.According to Hyundai Motor America, the Korean carmaker sold 64,200 units in June, about 2 percent rise from a year earlier. Sport utility vehicles led the uptrend, the company said, recording a 10 percent sales increase on-year and accounting for 53 percent of the total monthly sales. By type, 50 percent of SUV sales in the US last month was led by su

Mobility July 5, 2019

Hyundai Home Shopping will start running an around-the-clock TV channel in Australia next month, a first for a South Korean home shopping business even as an increasing number of its rivals are tapping overseas markets.After making an AU$45 million ($31.65 million) investment in December last year to establish ASN, the home shopping operator said it would launch Open Shop on Aug. 1 on Channel 75. To ensure high broadcasting standards, the company has partnered with Seven Network, Australia&rsquo

Industry July 4, 2019

Hyundai Motor Group announced Wednesday that it had become the first company in the world to develop a technology called Continuously Variable Valve Duration, which will improve engine performance and fuel efficiency once the automaker begins mass-producing CVVD-equipped engines for use in Hyundai and Kia cars later this year. According to the company, CVVD technology enhances the function of the engine by optimizing the timing of the opening and closing of the valve at all four stages of its po

Mobility July 3, 2019

Kia Motors’ full-sized K7 sedan has been always compared to its competitor, the Grandeur, a same-class sedan from its sister company Hyundai Motor. And the rival Grandeur has always topped the sales rankings in the category, selling 46,790 units this year as of June, while K7 sold 12,652 units. Kia Motors’ latest K7 Premier has been face-lifted to bring the car “up to date,” the automaker said, but the changes were so extensive that it almost feels like new generatio

Mobility July 3, 2019

ABB FIA Formula E Championship, the world’s only electric-powered car race, will take place in Seoul in May next year, Formula E Korea said Tuesday. Dubbed Seoul E-Prix 2020, the championship’s 10th race in its sixth season will be held at Jamsil Sports Complex and on roads around the Olympic Park on May 3. Fourteen rounds will take place in 12 cities, finishing the race in London in July. Participating automotive firms include Audi, Jaguar, Nissan, DS, BMW, Mercedes-Benz a

Mobility July 2, 2019

South Korean food manufacturer Samyang Foods said Monday that its bestselling instant noodle Buldak Spicy Chicken Ramen recorded accumulated sales of 1 trillion won ($863 million), seven years after its launch. According to the company, the sales of its spicy chicken ramen brand shot up from 100 billion won in 2016 to 282 billion won as of last year.  Following the successful hit of the brand, the company developed and launched Carbo Buldak Spicy Chicken Ramen, which set another record

Industry July 1, 2019

South Korean discount chain Homeplus said Monday that it has granted permanent employment status to 14,283 contract workers at its stores, who account for some 62 percent of all workers at Homeplus, Homeplus Stores and Homeplus Holdings.  The change means Homeplus employs only 1 percent of its workers, or 228 individuals, on a contract basis, according to the company.Homeplus said having 99 percent of its employees, or 22,900 individuals, hold full-time permanent status was a meaningful ste

Industry July 1, 2019

For many, the main purpose of installing a surveillance camera is to prevent theft and strengthen security.But the closed-circuit TVs can now play a significant role beyond such a purpose, as the latest models connected with artificial intelligence software help retailers develop data-driven strategies and increase sales by using video-based analytics.According to Hanwha Techwin, a South Korean total security solutions provider that manufactures surveillance cameras for video analytic solutions

Industry July 1, 2019

Since the 2015 launch of the Tivoli, SsangYong Motor’s bestselling compact sport utility vehicle has been especially popular among drivers who prefer a compact, stylish SUV -- one that is suitable for urban driving and has a more spacious trunk than a sedan.But after four years, the Very New Tivoli is here. This face-lifted version will appeal to drivers seeking a dynamic driving experience, a powerful engine and the chance to try out different driving modes. During the 170-kilometer test

Mobility July 1, 2019