Competition to grab a job at the Korean unit of Porsche appears to be reaching fever-pitch.

Kim Geun-tak, who is to lead Porsche Korea when it opens later this year, is currently recruiting staff to create a solid base to start from, according to industry sources.

“Except for those who are working for one of the German big three brands (BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi), the jobs seem to be quite attractive,” said one source, requesting anonymity.

It is common for import carmakers to rehire most of the staff at their existing importer ― in this case Stuttgart Sports Cars ― when they establish a Korean branch. 

But the incoming chief executive Kim allegedly wants to pick his own people, particularly those with a GM background due to his own past ties to the automaker; Kim was previously CEO of GM Korea.

“GM people are known to be a smart pack of people, with the right language skills and a global mindset. However, there is some concern that they might not be right for Porsche as the GM brand is not exactly No. 1, meaning they aren’t used to being at the top of their game,” said another source.

Others said Kim would most likely need the support of the existing staff at Stuttgart Sports Cars, especially those in leadership positions, for a soft-landing of the newly created entity.

The importer has yet to make any official comment on the planned establishment of Porsche Korea, including possible staff movement.

“We are clueless right now as to what will happen, and are frankly not in a position to comment,” said one Stuttgart Sports Cars employee, indicating the company had advised employees to remain mum on personnel issues.

The rumors surrounding the new Korean unit appeared to reflect the sports car brand’s growing presence here.

Porsche sold 1,005 vehicles in the first half of this year, about a 41.9 percent jump from the same period last year, according to Stuttgart Sports Cars, which has been importing the sports cars since 2005.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)