With improved bilateral relations between Korea and Japan, Toyota is seeking a turnaround here with the launch of the Crown Hybrid crossover utility vehicle, an upgraded version of its long-loved flagship sedan. “The Korean market is both worthy of investment and challenging because many customers are car enthusiasts who have high standards,” said Toyota Korea CEO Konyama Manabu, during a press conference on Monday in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. “Compared to 2022, the situation has

South Korea’s second-biggest carmaker Kia said Monday it has appointed John Buckingham, a UK veteran automotive designer, as the exterior design chief of its next design group. Buckingham has worked in the automotive industry since 2005 when he joined BMW as an exterior designer. While working at the BMW Designworks studio in Los Angeles, he also led the design of the 8 Series concept. Then, he moved to UK luxury carmaker Bentley in 2018 and to Faraday Future, the US-based electric vehicle

42dot, a self-driving mobility unit under Hyundai Motor Group, is setting up a global software center for software defined vehicles, or SDVs, aiming to create a foothold in the burgeoning future mobility business. Users can manage operations and acquire new features for SDVs primarily through software updates. According to a regulatory filing on Wednesday, the company received a first-phase investment worth 346.2 billion won ($265.1 million) from the carmaker, who vowed to inject total of 1.5

Korean auto giant diversifies battery suppliers in emerging markets amid protectionist policies in US, Europe

Hyundai Motor Company launched a revamped version of the Palisade in Korea with enhanced safety features on Friday. For the latest Palisade 2024, the automaker introduced a new trim, dubbed Le Blanc, which has been equipped with various customer-preferred specs, including a smart power tailgate, 20-inch wheels, organic leather sheets, wireless smartphone charging and a surround-view monitor. The new Palisade 2024 has also been revamped with new safety features, including blind collision warning

Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna (center) poses with Roma Spider, the Italian luxury carmaker’s latest soft-top convertible, during the Universo Ferrari exhibition which kicked off in Seoul on Thursday. The CEO visited Korea to celebrate the Asia premiere of the exhibition that travels around the world to showcase Ferrari’s 22 most representative cars. On his right is Dieter Knechtel, president of Ferrari's Far East and Middle East, and left is Enrico Galliera, chief marketing an

Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday completed its first overseas hydrogen fuel cell system facility in Guangzhou, China, signifying the South Korean auto giant's global expansion in the hydrogen industry. About 200 Chinese and Korean government officials and business executives, including Hyundai Motor Company CEO Chang Jae-hoon (sixth from left) and Lin Keqing (fifth from left), chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Political Consultative Conference and secretary of the Guangzhou Municipal Comm

South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI said Thursday an executive meeting was held to bolster environmental, social and governance management efforts. Some 20 top executives, including Samsung SDI CEO Choi Yoon-ho, joined the workshop held at the company’s headquarters in Giheung, Gyeonggi Province. “ESG management goes beyond corporate’s social responsibility. It is a key strategy to enhancing our competitive edge for the future,” said the CEO in his opening remarks. &ld

LG Innotek said Wednesday it has developed a new flexible three-dimensional lighting module for vehicles. Dubbed "Nexlide-M," the product boasts brighter, clearer and more uniform light emission, making it more visible in daylight, the company said. "The Nexlide-M is the whole package -- it has excellent functions and beautiful design," said Yoo In-soo, head of LG Innotek's Motor and Lighting business. In particular, it is able to emit clearer light while with minimal nu

Mathias Vaitl, head of Mercedes Me, digital service business and e-commerce, to lead German automaker's Korean office

Hyundai Rotem, a railway, defense and plant systems provider under Hyundai Motor Group, is speeding up the commercial debut of the nation’s first hydrogen-powered electric tram, with a test drive set to be carried out in the coming months. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday, the company’s upcoming tram, equipped with hydrogen fuel cells, is expected to drive a total of 25,000 kilometers on two railway test tracks in Osong, North Chungcheong Provinc

Auto giant looks to bolster global policy power with recruitment

Recipients of Han Sung Motor’s Dream Gream scholarship showcased their work at Plastic Art Seoul 2023, a Seoul art fair dedicated to sculptures and installations that took place over the weekend. Han Sung Motor, the official importer of Mercedes-Benz cars here, has sponsored young artistic talents through the program that offers scholarships and mentoring opportunities. For the latest exhibition, 40 students joined to present media art creations under the theme “The most precious thi

Asiana Airlines, South Korea's second-largest airline, said Monday it has halted the sales of seats next to emergency exits following a recent incident in which a passenger opened an emergency exit door before landing. Currently, the air carrier operates two types of A320-200 aircraft, the same model that took flight during the door-opening incident, with 174 and 195 passenger seats, respectively. Sales of the two seats 26A and 30A in each aircraft will be discontinued indefinitely. An Asia

Passenger travel on Korea-Chinese routes stayed at 13 percent of pre-pandemic levels in the January-April period in contrast with a rapid recovery in other Asian routes, the transport ministry said Monday. In the first four months, the number of passengers on the routes between the two countries stood at 730,817, plunging from 5.65 million during the same period of 2019, according to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. But passenger travel on many other Asian routes is