Most Popular
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Controversy rekindled over when to name criminals, suspects
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Seoul transit pass for travelers to be available starting July
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Hybe-Ador CEO conflict gets messier
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Battery makers ramp up efforts to diversify graphite supply chain
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Prosecutors to summon pastor who allegedly gave Dior bag to first lady
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‘Monk’ DJ spreading Buddhism goes global
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[LLG] Unseen inheritance: Trauma of transnational adoption 'trickles down' to adoptees' children
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Court's ruling set to shape path of medical school expansion
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Loans of self-employed swell 50% in four years
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[KH Explains] Hyundai Motor’s plan for new landmark keeps hitting bumps
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Lincoln MKC balances class, dynamics
Forget about the heavy-bodied sedans or extremely casual flank of sport utility vehicles: Finding the perfect medium between them was the idea that Lincoln designers had from the beginning when making their first-ever premium compact SUV, the MKC. And the U.S.-based premium carmaker has pulled off a balance between the class and dynamics for the new car. “The all-new MKC is the second car among four innovative models Lincoln aims to launch by 2016. The first of its kind, the MKZ was such a succe
Sept. 18, 2014
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The diet dilemma of Hyundai Motor
Losing vehicle weight through the use of aluminum is currently all the rage among global carmakers. Jaguar rolled out the all-aluminum XJ and XF sedans, while Mercedes-Benz’s new C-Class used aluminum for almost half the body structure.The use of aluminum, a lighter alternative to steel, means reduced weight and better fuel efficiency. The C-Class, for instance, is some 100 kilograms lighter than before, with its fuel ratings improving by 20 percent. With carmakers pouring resources into reducin
Sept. 15, 2014
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New Mercedes C-Class nears perfection
Despite its almost unrivaled luxury styling and interior, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class has long been considered less fun to drive compared to its potent rival, the BMW 3 Series.But the all-new C-Class, equipped with enhanced driving agility, no longer appears content to play the role of a low-key luxury cruiser. Since 2007, when the previous model was released, the compact sedan has sold more than 2.4 million units globally, making it the German carmaker’s best-selling model.With the dieting being
Sept. 14, 2014
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Honda buys land for next plant in India
Honda Motor Co., Japan’s third-largest carmaker, has started buying land in the western Indian state of Gujarat for a future plant in the country, an executive at the company said.Honda’s India sales chief Jnaneswar Sen, who spoke in an interview Friday in New Delhi, declined to give further details, such as the factory’s size, cost or timetable. Tokyo-based spokeswoman Kumiko Hashimoto confirmed that the company has started procedures for buying land in India.Honda saw deliveries in India rise
Sept. 14, 2014
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Formula E racing seeks to woo carmakers ahead of possible IPO
Formula E, a new electric racing series bankrolled with $100 million by Boston Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck and others, wants to seduce sports fans and carmakers with a view to a possible initial public offering.The series, which opened in Beijing Saturday, uses battery-powered cars made by Villeneuve-La-Guyard, France-based Spark Racing Technology that look similar to Formula One single-seaters, although are slower, don’t have engine roar and require a vehicle change mid-race. Renault
Sept. 14, 2014
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Porsche buys 10% of traffic-tracker tech startup Inrix
Porsche Automobil Holding SE bought a 10 percent stake in traffic information provider Inrix Inc. for $55 million, its first move to expand its assets beyond a controlling stake in Volkswagen AG.The deal is the Stuttgart, Germany-based company’s first investment after its attempt to acquire Volkswagen backfired and triggered the departure of its former management.“Connectivity between cars and infrastructure is one of the important megatrends in the automotive industry,” Philipp von Hagen, the P
Sept. 14, 2014
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Tech leak fears haunt Korean carmakers
Korean carmakers are raising concerns about technology leaks, particularly to China, where they claim local firms are eager to quickly replicate the recent successes of their Korean rivals in global markets. Prosecutors said Thursday that they raided a Hyundai Motor and GM Korea contractor last week on suspicions that it had transferred engine design technology to a Chinese firm. The engine-developing company, Blue Planet, was set up in 2001 by a group of former workers of Hyundai and other Kore
Sept. 11, 2014
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Hyundai Motor, union fail to close gap
Hyundai Motor, which has the single largest labor union in Korea, failed to settle its annual wage talks with its union this week, breaking away from the long tradition of reaching a tentative agreement before Chuseok ― a psychological Maginot Line. On Tuesday, Hyundai management and the labor union met again for marathon talks, but failed to narrow their differences, especially on the issue of including fixed bonuses and benefits into regular wages. The management proposed setting up a new comm
Sept. 5, 2014
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Carmakers bet big on large sedans to restore profits
Amid a continuing craze for sport utility vehicles among drivers here, some Korean carmakers are expected to bet on large-sedan models in the second half of the year.Industry experts say local companies will be turning their attention to more profitable models amid rising uncertainties due to volatile foreign currencies. Currently, foreign brands dominate the nation’s large-sedan market.On Wednesday, Renault Samsung Motors, the Korean unit of the France-based Renault Group, launched the new SM7
Sept. 4, 2014
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Porsche woos young drivers with Macan crossover
Porsche, the manufacturer of the iconic 911 sports car, is wooing new customers with its latest crossover the Macan, its second sport utility vehicle following the hot-selling Cayenne.While the Cayenne is targeted toward a 911 driver who wants a second, bigger Porsche, the Macan hopes to lure first-time, younger buyers who will eventually acquire a Cayenne or a 911 ― or both ― in the near future.Porsche CEO Matthias Muller earlier predicted that the Macan will help the Stuttgart-based carmaker h
Aug. 31, 2014
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Renault Samsung’s workers reject wage deal
Workers of Renault Samsung Motor voted down a tentative wage deal their union had reached with management earlier this year, contending that it falls short of their expectations, the company confirmed on Sunday. The agreement was rejected on Friday, with 62.9 percent of the 2,448 union members voting against it. The union of the carmaker said it plans to hold a general meeting of workers next week to discuss the future course of action.The latest development may lead to partial walkouts similar
Aug. 31, 2014
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BMW expands footprint in Korea beyond cars
German luxury carmaker BMW, the best-selling foreign car brand in Korea for the past 14 years, is seeking a bigger footprint in Korea by expanding its presence to social contribution and research and development activities.“Elevating sales figures is not enough to maintain No. 1 status. We are making continued efforts to add value to owning a BMW in Korea,” said BMW Korea CEO Kim Hyo-joon. In July 2011, BMW Korea launched the BMW Korea Future Fund, the first charitable foundation set up by a for
Aug. 31, 2014
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Jaguar Land Rover kicks off used car business in Korea
Jaguar Land Rover Korea’s used car exhibition gallery at the auto gallery in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul (Jaguar Land Rover Korea)Jaguar Land Rover Korea on Thursday opened a secondhand car exhibition at its auto gallery in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul, to sell used cars that have been quality-certified by the British luxury carmaker.This is the first used car sales business in the Asia-Pacific region for the prestige automotive company. “Having the Asia-Pacific’s first used car exhibition gall
Aug. 31, 2014
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Jeep Cherokee returns strong in 7 years
The Jeep Cherokee, the iconic mid-size sport utility vehicle, has made a comeback here Wednesday after a seven-year hiatus. Before it was replaced with the Jeep Liberty, the Cherokee sold 2.5 million vehicles since its debut in 1974. In a bid to repeat that success, Jeep resurrected the Cherokee nameplate for the Liberty’s successor. “It is a moment that I have long waited,” Chrysler Korea CEO Pablo Ross said at the car’s launch in Seoul on Wednesday. “We want to redefine again the mid-size SUV
Aug. 24, 2014
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BMW X4, a savvy oddball
BMW is known for its bottomless appetite for new models, and the BMW X4 is another segment-splitting X Series sport utility vehicle from the luxury carmaker. Journalists scratched their heads a few years ago when BMW unveiled the X6, a mid-size crossover with coupe-like styling. But the car defied skepticism to find some 250,000 buyers around the world. The new X4 carries the same concept ― “sport activity vehicle” ― but in a smaller, more fashionable package. [Behind the Wheel / BMW X4] Design
Aug. 24, 2014
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Kia outpaces Hyundai in auto exports for first time
South Korea’s No. 2 automaker Kia Motors Corp. surpassed its larger sister company Hyundai Motor Co. in auto exports for the first time in the first seven months of this year, industry data showed Sunday.Kia Motors exported 772,559 vehicles in the January-July period, outstripping Hyundai Motor’s shipments of 722,129 units, according to the data by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association.GM Korea Co., the South Korean unit of U.S. automaker General Motors Co., was a distant third with exp
Aug. 24, 2014
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Ssangyong zeroes in on Europe, China
Ssangyong Motor on Sunday said it will focus on strengthening its global sales network, especially in the burgeoning Chinese and European markets. “With the New Korando C getting a positive response in the European market, we can proudly say that Ssangyong’s next big market is Europe, alongside China,” said Choi Jin-woong, a spokesman for Ssangyong. The company expects to sell 81,500 vehicles overseas by the end of the year, which is almost double from the 49,288 sold in 2010. The upbeat target
Aug. 24, 2014
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Hyundai fears output loss from partial strikes
Union workers at Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant staged four-hour partial strikes on Friday amid their stalled talks with management over considering bonuses part of regular wages. With the union planning to refuse overtime work on the weekend, South Korea’s largest carmaker is expected to suffer production losses worth some 150 billion won ($147 million) for this week alone. The 47,000 member union put down its tools for two hours on Friday morning and two hours again in the evening. It plans to co
Aug. 22, 2014
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BMW Driving Center open to public
BMW opened its first driving center in Asia, located on Yeongjongdo Island, some 40 kilometers west of Seoul, to the public on Friday, officials said. The BMW complex consists of a 2.6 kilometer racetrack; a BMW car gallery; a restaurant; the Junior Campus, an education program for children; and food and drink facilities. The facility is the third of its kind, following driving centers in Germany and the U.S.Entry is free of charge, while some fees will be required for test-driving vehicles and
Aug. 22, 2014
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[Graphic News] More drivers embrace hybrid and electric cars
Global sales of hybrid and electric cars have more than tripled to 3.49 million in 2013 from 1 million in 2011. The eco-friendly car market is expected to continue the recent momentum in the coming years to sell 10.45 million units by 2020, according to market research firm B3. South Korea is also seeing an upward trend, with hybrids and electric cars selling 14,535 and 434 vehicles, respectively, in the first half of the year. Industry watchers’ combined annual sales would reach 30,000 sales th
Aug. 21, 2014