Mechanical failure, not bird strike, likely behind Korea’s plane crash: Boeing 737 expert

Robert Clifford, Chicago-based aviation lawyer, stresses need for thorough data analysis in Jeju Air crash that claimed 179 lives As Korean and US authorities launched a joint probe on Tuesday into the crash of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, which killed 179 passengers and crew, Robert Clifford, a Chicago-based aviation plaintiff trial expert, suggested that a bird strike was unlikely to have been the cause of the tragedy. "A bird strike is unli

Dec. 31, 2024

[Photo News] Renault Korea updates Busan plant for EV production

ENHANCING VERSATILITY -- Renault Korea announced Tuesday that it plans to upgrade its car assembly plant in Busan in January, with production of North American exports of the coupe-style sport utility vehicle Polestar 4 and other electric vehicles set to begin in the second half of 2025. While the plant currently has multiple mixed-model production lines, these will need reinforcement because EVs equipped with the latest model batteries are 25 percent heavier than other vehicles. Following these

Dec. 31, 2024

Boeing faces another setback after fatal crash in Korea

Boeing's 737-800 under tight scrutiny after the narrow-body aircraft was the model involved in a crash in Muan, South Jeolla Province, Sunday that cost the lives of 179 people.

Dec. 30, 2024

Kia EV3 compact enjoys robust sales in Europe

Hyundai Motor Group’s smaller affiliate Kia has ramped up exports of the EV3, its small electrified SUV, to Europe by capitalizing on the region’s drive to raise tariffs on China-made EVs. According to industry sources Sunday, Kia exported 24,704 units of the EV3 to Europe from January to November this year, with only around 20 units sold in the first two quarters. Following the model's official launch in key European markets in August, export sales surged to 24,673 units, more than double that

Dec. 29, 2024

Guess who owns Korea's first official Tesla Cybertruck. It's not G-Dragon

Singer and musical actor Kim Jun-su is the first official domestic owner of a Tesla Cybertruck, a futuristic electric pickup truck that has earned the nickname “GD vehicle” among South Koreans. The electronic vehicle went viral online in Korea last month when K-pop star G-Dragon was seen getting out of one at Incheon Airport on his way to Hong Kong for Chanel’s 2024/25 Cruise Show. At the time, the truck had a temporary license plate. On Friday, a car import company revealed on its Naver blog th

Dec. 28, 2024

India makes fresh overture to Korean shipbuilders

An Indian delegation led by Secretary T.K. Ramachandran of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways visited South Korea’s major shipyards earlier this month, in an apparent move to seek cooperation in boosting India's shipbuilding industry. According to industry sources on Thursday, the delegates met with officials in Seoul from Korea’s top three shipbuilders — HD Hyundai, Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries — as well as at their shipyards located in Ulsan and Geoje, South Gyeongsang

Dec. 26, 2024

Will Audi Korea bounce back next year?

Audi, outpaced by Tesla, aims to boost sales with at least three new launches in first half Audi is gearing up to reclaim its top-three standing in Korea’s auto importer rankings next year as it plans to roll out at least three new models in the country. The German automaker earlier announced a plan to carry out nationwide preview events for the Q6 e-tron, the brand’s all-electric compact crossover sport utility vehicle, from November this year through February to offer Korean customers hands-on

Dec. 26, 2024

Hyundai, Kia to enjoy tariff cuts in Toyota-dominant Philippines

Seoul-Manila FTA gives Korean duo price advantage over Japanese rivals With South Korea’s bilateral free trade agreement with the Philippines slated to take effect next week, Hyundai Motor Group is poised to challenge its Japanese competitors currently dominating Southeast Asian markets. Under the free trade deal, Korea and the Philippines will remove tariffs on 94.8 percent and 96.5 percent of imported products, respectively. Among the key trade items, the 5 percent tariff on Korean-made cargo

Dec. 26, 2024

Revamped Palisade SUV records over 30,000 preorders in Korea

Hyundai Motor Company’s revamped version of Palisade, its flagship three-row sport utility vehicle, received 33,567 preorders on its launch day in South Korea, sources said Wednesday. Rolled out on Friday, the Palisade SUV received the third-largest number of launch day orders among vehicles released by Hyundai Motor Group. It follows Hyundai Motor Company's Ioniq 6 SUV with 37,446 units in 2022 and Kia's 4th generation Carnival SUV with 36,455 units last year. This figure surpasses the preorder

Dec. 25, 2024

Kia to ramp up EV9 production in US on upbeat sales

Sales of Kia’s large-size electric sport utility vehicle EV9 show the product has a stable presence in the US market, with cumulative sales exceeding 20,000 units since its debut in December last year. According to Kia, the SUV reached cumulative sales of 20,066 in the January-November period this year, making it the best-selling Kia EV in the US. This compares to 1,903 units sold in Korea during the same period. Strong EV9 sales also drove Kia's monthly sales to a record high of 70,107 units in

Dec. 24, 2024

Why Chinese firms are keen to attend Seoul’s battery expo next year

The largest number of Chinese battery manufacturers, led by BYD, the world’s foremost battery and electric vehicle juggernaut, is set to participate in South Korea’s InterBattery expo next year in an apparent move to up the ante against their Korean rivals. According to industry sources on Tuesday, 77 Chinese companies producing battery cells, materials and components are poised to attend Korea’s largest battery exhibition, from March 5-7, 2025, in Gangnam, Seoul. This is the first time China-ba

Dec. 24, 2024

Hyundai EV owners in US to get free Tesla charger adapters

Korean automaker improves charging compatibility to bolster EV presence in all-important market From the first quarter of next year, Hyundai Motor will offer free adapters for Tesla-developed charging ports to its electric vehicle owners in the United States, as the Korean automaker aims to bolster its presence in the US EV market. Hyundai Motor North America announced Tuesday that Hyundai EV owners who purchased or leased their vehicle on or before Jan. 31, 2025, will be able to request a free

Dec. 24, 2024

Tesla secures bigger footing in Korea to take on Mercedes, BMW

Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Tesla are expected to reshape Korea’s imported car market as the dominant trio this year, fueled by record sales from the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturers, data showed Monday. According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association and Carisyou, BMW and Mercedes-Benz sold 67,250 units and 59,561 units here from January to November, ranking first and second, respectively. Tesla, securing the third position for the first time, sold 28,4

Dec. 23, 2024

LG Energy Solution, Qualcomm complete new battery management system for EVs

Korean leading battery maker LG Energy Solution said Monday that it will roll out a new battery management system for electric vehicles developed in cooperation with US chip giant Qualcomm. The two firms recently signed an agreement to carry out promotional activities for the new solution that will be running on Qualcomm's connected-car platform Snapdragon Digital Chassis. The official launch schedule is yet to be revealed. “We are very pleased to collaborate with LG Energy Solution to develop t

Dec. 23, 2024

Kia Syros compact SUV makes global debut in India

Kia said Sunday that the Syros, its compact sport utility vehicle, made its global debut in India as part of the company’s strategy to boost sales in emerging markets. Inspired by the island of Syros in the Cyclades, Greece, the vehicle fuses Eastern and Western European culture, according to Kia. With a total length of under four meters, the Syros is a city car that features a bold design, a comfortable interior and advanced amenities, including a smart connectivity system. The compact SUV is a

Dec. 22, 2024