Most Popular
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Over 80,000 millionaires, 20 billionaires in Seoul: report
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Korean battery makers heave sigh of relief over 2-year IRA reprieve
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Yoon apologizes over first lady’s Dior bag scandal, but accuses special probe attempt as political maneuvering
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Young Korean doctors seek plan B: cosmetic dermatology or overseas
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South Korea open to Indonesian proposal to cut KF-21 payments
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Girl hanging on bridge, police trying to rescue her both fall off; rescued immediately
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Coupang earnings hit hard by losses from ailing Farfetch
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Korea projected to outpace Taiwan in chip production by 2032: US report
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[K-pop’s dilemma] Time, profit pressures work against originality
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Why femicide and dating violence are growing issues in S. Korea
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Toyota to make Lexus in U.S. amid localization push
Toyota Motor Corp. plans to build Lexus ES 350 sedans at an existing Kentucky plant, the first U.S. production for its luxury brand, as Chief Executive Officer Akio Toyoda pushes to localize output in its biggest markets. Toyoda and Jim Lentz, Toyota’s North American chief, said on Saturday in New York that production of the ES, the top-selling Lexus car in the U.S., starts at its Georgetown, Kentucky, complex in 2015. The company said it’s investing $360 million to add a Lexus line, expanding G
April 21, 2013
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Porsche rides high in China
SHANGHAI, China ― About 10,000 journalists and visitors packed the exhibition halls of the Shanghai motor show during the media preview on Saturday. And their final destination seemed to be the same building, the N1, which housed the world’s most prestigious car brands such as Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce. China’s market for “premium” cars costing up to $190,000 was 1.25 million vehicles last year, second only to the United States, according to consultancy McKinsey. Even though
April 21, 2013
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Chinese brands hope to emulate Hyundai’s success
SHANGHAI, China ― No carmaker can afford to ignore China, which became the world’s largest car market in 2009. Brushing off fears of an economic slowdown, its auto sales set an all-time high of 19.31 million vehicles last year. And that was more than evident during the media preview day Saturday at the Shanghai auto show, which features 1,300 vehicles in 17 exhibition halls spanning 280,000 square meters. Korean carmakers also plan to showcase their new models, with which they hope to expand the
April 21, 2013
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BMW adds currency hedges with VW to mitigate volatility
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Volkswagen AG increased their currency hedging in 2012 to reduce the risk that foreign-exchange market swings would harm revenue, according to annual reports from the German carmakers. BMW, the world’s biggest maker of luxury cars, raised its protection in foreign-exchange markets by 39 percent from the previous year to 36 billion euros ($47 billion), according to the report published on March 19. Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest automaker, boosted hedges by 27 percen
April 14, 2013
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GM outsells VW in China for 1st time in Q3
General Motors Co. outsold Volkswagen AG in China for the first time in three quarters, helped by growth in demand for Buick vehicles. Volkswagen, which unlike GM includes Hong Kong and Macau in its China figures, today reported first-quarter sales in China climbed 21 percent to about 770,000 vehicles. That’s 5.7 percent fewer than the deliveries reported by GM last week. The results give Detroit-based GM a head start as it seeks to keep its lead ― on an annual basis ― among foreign automakers i
April 14, 2013
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A Porsche dream come true
Seoul may not be the perfect place to drive a Porsche, especially so for German car buffs who enjoy driving at face-peeling speeds on the autobahn. But Stuttgart Sports Cars CEO Michael Vetter, a German with a love for speed, says Porsche owners are creative enough to find ways to drive their cars up to their limits.“If you just drive half an hour outside the city, Korea has beautiful scenery to offer. For example, Namhansanseong (the ancient fortress) has beautiful, winding roads and views if y
April 14, 2013
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Kumho Tires offers first-ever tire warranty
Kumho Tires started on April 1 offering a mileage warranty for its tires that allows customers to ask for compensation when any discrepancy occurs between the tire’s originally expected lifespan and its actual replacement. It is the first time that a tire maker has introduced the mileage-based warranty service in Korea where drivers’ rough driving style, including frequent and sudden stop-and-go driving, causes quicker tread wear on tires, as well as increased fuel consumption. “Compared to othe
April 7, 2013
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GM, Opel CEOs to meet German leader Merkel
The chief executive of General Motors and the head of its Opel unit in Germany will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel this week to discuss the rejection of a plant closure timetable by workers which could speed the factory’s shutdown.With job losses looming at Opel’s Bochum plant and against a background of European car sales in freefall, government spokesman Georg Streiter said Dan Akerson and Karl-Thomas Neumann will have a one-hour session with Merkel in Berlin on Thursday.Merkel is seeking a thi
April 7, 2013
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Ferrari sees growth in Japan but falls in China, Europe
Japan is becoming Ferrari’s next growth market. Registrations of Fiat SpA’s ultra-luxury brand surged 40 percent to 144 vehicles in Japan last quarter, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association on Thursday. That’s more than twice the pace in the larger U.S. market, while demand is slumping in China, at home and across Europe. The surge in demand for luxury cars adds to signs that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda are succeeding in reviving spendin
April 7, 2013
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Audi beats expectations
The Korea Herald, in cooperation with carmakers, offers a test-driving experience to executive officials at Korean or multinational companies or ranking diplomats here. The opinion below is the author’s own. For any inquiry into this column, please contact jylee@heraldcorp.com. ― Ed.I must admit I was not initially prepared to like the Audi A8L TDI Quattro. I had never been a huge fan of Audis primarily because I always thought the four rings, overall shape and other external styling features la
April 7, 2013
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Toyota drives toward harmony
Toyota, the Japanese carmaker that has become a favorite among Korean car lovers for its practical yet sleek Camry, is out to pursue “harmony” with its newest lineup of cars unveiled at the Seoul Motor Show last week. “We’re all about harmony ― harmony between different generations and harmony between all types of roads, including on and off,” said Toyota Motor Korea chief executive Tommy Nakabayashi, in Korean no less, during the presentation last week to showcase Toyota’s newest toys.Among the
April 1, 2013
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BMW up to the challenge: CEO
BMW, undeniably one of the hottest-selling imported cars in the Korean market today, was on fire this week at the Seoul Motor Show where it unveiled a record number of cars and motorbikes ― 26, to be exact. Among the plethora of models, the BMW New 3 Series Gran Turismo, the New M6 Gran Coupe and the New Z4 were showcased for the first time in Asia. As some of the most heart-stopping models at the show, the cars were an indication of the challenges BMW is eager to meet, according to BMW Korea’s
April 1, 2013
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Real hero
Porsche is likely to maintain a low profile at this year’s Seoul Motor Show, but the Korean debut of the new Cayman and Cayman S seem enough to captivate sports car fans here. The Porsche Cayman is a mid-engine layout rear-wheel-drive coupe derived from Porsche’s second- and third-generation Boxster roadster. The new, third-generation two-seat sports car has again undergone a complete redevelopment. It is lower and longer, lighter and faster, and more efficient and powerful then ever, the carmak
March 31, 2013
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Ssangyong Motor seeks new leap forward
Ssangyong Motor CEO Lee Yoo-il pledged to shake up the competition in the local luxury sedan market long dominated by Hyundai and foreign rivals at the unveiling of its newest Chairman at the Seoul Motor Show on Thursday.“In the large sedan segment where competition with imported carmakers is fierce, I believe the Chairman W Summit will become a game-changer,” he said, introducing the model. He set this year’s sales target for the new Chairman at about 500 vehicles. The Chairman W Summit, which
March 31, 2013
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Audi accelerates with R8 sports car
For Audi, the hottest-selling luxury car brand in Korea, the year 2012 was stunning, with its car sales almost doubling from a year ago. This year the carmaker aims higher, rolling out sportier, high-performance models. At the heart of the ambitious plan is the R8 sports car. At Seoul Motor Show that kicked off Thursday, Audi unveiled a total of 22 vehicles ― the most among foreign brands ― including two Korean debuts, the R8 V10 Coupe and Spyder.“Introducing more vehicles than other imported br
March 31, 2013
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Two debuts for Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz Korea made several debuts at Seoul Motor Show that kicked off Thursday. One was the long-anticipated A-Class, the smallest, cheapest Mercedes that will finally hit the Korean market in the latter half of this year. Even though the car debuted globally in 1997, the German luxury carmaker has delayed the launch of the 1,800 cc hatchback in Korea where its larger sedans are enjoying an unrivaled premium image. The other debut on the day was Britta Seeger, the Korean unit’s new and fir
March 31, 2013
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Jaguar Land Rover bets big on Korea
One of the highlights at this year’s Seoul Motor Show may be the presentation by Jaguar’s design director Ian Callum for the long-anticipated F-Type roadster. In his first visit to Korea, the legendary car designer, 59, personally unveiled the two-seat F-Type, the first sports car made by the British luxury brand since the 1970s. “It’s a true breakthrough product for Jaguar. It marks our return to the sports car market,” he said of the F-Type, which will go on sale globally this summer. In order
March 31, 2013
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Renault Samsung out to recapture Koreans’ hearts
Renault Samsung is out to recapture the hearts of Koreans, this time with a compact SUV crossover and the SM5 XE TCE that it rolled out at Seoul Motor Show this week. The cars were distinctively cool, and reflected the promise the carmaker, which has performed weakly over the past few years, is making anew to consumers all over the world and in Asia. The number of reporters who packed the Renault Samsung showroom was, if anything, testament that the company was ready for a comeback.“Featuring a
March 31, 2013
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Korean carmakers eye home advantage
GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province ― More than 300 vehicles, including nine world debuts and 16 new introductions in Asia, will show off their beauties at the Seoul Motor Show which kicked off Thursday starting with a media preview. Korean carmakers, among other players, have geared up to prevail during the largest automotive event held on their home turf. Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor dominates the largest exhibition space of 6,800 square meters and shows off 38 vehicles, including the HND-9, a luxury
March 28, 2013
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[Photo News] Seoul Motor Show
Models pose with cars being showcased at the Seoul Motor Show. The biennial event kicked off on Thursday with a media preview. (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)<관련 한글 기사>2013 서울 국제모터쇼 미모의 레이싱걸 '화제'2013 서울 국제모터쇼가 28일 경기 고양 일산 킨텍스에서 프레스데이를 시작으로 개막했다.한국자동차산업협회·한국수입자동차협회·한국자동차공업협동조합이 주최하고, 지식경제부·환경부·국토해양부·고양시가 후원하는 이번 모터쇼는 4월 7일까지 열 린다.
March 28, 2013