Korean Air has suspended its in-flight beverage service for passengers on domestic flights, according to industry sources Thursday.  Free beverages -- including water, soda, coffee and tea -- have been suspended as the Transport Ministry recently requested airlines to minimize the number of passengers taking off their face masks in flights, in order to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection. Korean Air said it will not provide beverages on domestic routes. Another full-service carrier

Renault Samsung Motors and GM Korea have concluded wage deals with unionized workers -- a positive sign for the struggling automotive industry amid the COVID-19 outbreak -- but there are still hurdles, considering the ongoing global economic downturn and unstable management-labor union ties, industry sources said Wednesday.  According to Renault Samsung, 70.2 percent of the unionized workers voted to accept a wage freeze and cash bonuses of 8.88 million won ($7,320) per person for 2019. T

The dampened economic situation is forcing South Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor Group to shut down facilities globally following weakened exports and restrictive regulations in major markets, according to industry sources Tuesday.  The business disruption in the auto industry is also hitting tire manufacturers, with major Korean companies suspending overseas plant operations. Hyundai said Tuesday that it has decided to extend the shutdown of its manufacturing plant in Turkey t

Renault Samsung said Tuesday that it has added a connected function to customer membership mobile applications My Renault Samsung and My Renault to expand its “untact” service -- without face-to-face contact.  The apps allow customers to check information on the car, review membership benefits, reserve maintenance or after service online and conduct one-on-one chat on customer service.  The new connected functions enable remote control of the vehicle and search of c

Hyundai Motor’s luxury brand Genesis launched a revamped third-generation G80 on March 30, seven years after the previous version was launched in 2013.  After releasing G70 in 2017 and the brand’s first sport utility vehicle GV80 earlier this year, Genesis has been diversifying its vehicle lineup to attract a wider range of customers.  As the flagship model, the latest G80 represents and cements Genesis’ brand identity. The Korea Herald had an opportunity to test

Porsche Korea said Friday that it has donated 200 million won ($166,000) to ChildFund Korea with its four authorized dealer partners -- Stuttgart Sports Cars, Autostadt, Deutsch Auto Co. and Yongsan Sports Automobile -- for coronavirus relief efforts. The donation will be used under two categories “Porsche Do Dream Safe Kit” and “Porsche Do Dream Safe Fund.” Recipients will be children in low-income families and vulnerable groups who have been experiencing difficulties

Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don visited Renault Samsung’s Busan plant Friday to encourage workers amid the continued economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the automaker, Oh also met with Renault Samsung CEO Dominique Signora and the labor union, vowing to support them to overcome the current crisis. Renault Samsung said that he appreciated workers at the facility for working hard and focusing on manufacturing major vehicle lineups.  He also discussed with Signora

Kia Motors’ midsized, eight-seat sport utility vehicle the Telluride is the 2020 World Car of the Year. This is the first time the Korean auto brand has won the top award. The automaker also took home the World Urban Car award for its subcompact crossover the Soul EV, which beat the Volkswagen T-Cross and the Mini Cooper SE Electric.  The Toronto-based World Car Awards, launched in 2004, are one of three major global automotive award programs, the others being the North American Ca

Despite SsangYong Motor’s decision to go ahead with a self-rescue plan after its largest shareholder Mahindra & Mahindra scrapped the cash-strapped Korean unit last week, some experts say the South Korean automaker’s weak exports may have led to the latest crisis. On Friday, Indian auto empire Mahindra & Mahindra said it won’t invest 500 million won ($410 million) for a turnaround, as requested, considering the global economic downturn due to COVID-19.  The pare

Kia Motors’ mid-sized sports utility vehicle Sorento means a lot to the automaker, considering that its SUV lineup ranging from Niro to Mohave has begun to receive attention with popularity of Sorento. The first Sorento was launched in 2002, with the third generation of the car released in 2014. Six years later, an all-new Sorento was unveiled on March 17. The Korea Herald had the chance to test drive the fourth-generation Sorento on March 23 on a 25 kilometer route from Yeouido in Seou

South Korea’s used car market has doubled in size over the past decade, with about 3.7 million vehicles registered for transfer last year.  With tech advancements, cars can be analyzed and auctions are made online, inviting more customers to sell and purchase secondhand cars. As the market grew, so did the market for imported cars, which are much coveted in the second-hand market. According to the country’s largest second-hand car company SK Encar, about 26 percent of used c

Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra has rejected a call for fresh funding for its cash-strapped Korean unit SsangYong Motor, leaving its future uncertain after 12 consecutive quarters of losses.  According to the board of directors of Mahindra, which has a 74.65 percent stake in Ssangyong, they held a special meeting in Mumbai on Friday and decided to reject SsangYong Motor’s request to invest 500 billion won ($404 million) over the next three years. Instead, it urged the Korean

Korean air carriers that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic are undergoing restructuring to downsize the workforce amid continued losses from reduced passengers and suspensions of international routes, according to industry sources on Thursday. Eastar Jet, a local budget carrier that halted all services from March 23 for a month, said Thursday it will send 45 percent, or 750 employees, of its total workforce home from April 24.  The air carrier said it will first receive applica

Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday that it would open a mobility innovation center in Singapore to focus on developing and producing future mobility solutions by 2022.  The automaker’s new global lab called Hyundai Mobility Global Innovation Center in Singapore (HMGICs) will be located in Singapore’s Jurong Innovation District, an advanced technology manufacturing hub comprised of tech companies, factories and researchers. The establishment of the automaker’s lab over the

South Korea’s Kumho Tire said Monday that its Solus 4S HA32 has won the Red Dot Design Award 2020. According to the tire maker, Solus HA32 is specially designed for road conditions in Europe, offering stable driving performance and brake in all four seasons.  By applying high-tech materials and V-shape pattern, Solus HA32’s brake function has improved by 15 percent compared to the previous model, the company said.  Its 3D inter-locking system also makes it easier for a

Hyundai Motor Group said Monday it has launched the third-generation G80 of its luxury brand Genesis.  The latest model has been fully revamped and is 125 kilograms lighter compared to the second-generation model that was launched in 2016, by using aluminum materials.  The all-new G80 is wider by 35 millimeters and lower by 15 millimeters, to show the best proportion as a rear-wheel driving luxury sedan, the automaker said.  Genesis sedans’ signature crest front grille,

Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae, who was reelected as executive director of Hanjin KAL over the objections of many, including his own sister, faces the challenge of proving his leadership capabilities by reviving Korean Air at a time when it is devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic amid ongoing management disputes. On Sunday, Cho said in a statement that the firm will “focus all its capabilities” and “make painstaking self-rescue efforts” to overcome the fallout from th

Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae was reappointed as executive director of Hanjin KAL, the holding company of Hanjin Group that owns Korean Air, on Friday, a much anticipated result despite a monthslong tug-of-war with his sister Cho Hyun-ah over the management control. According to Hanjin KAL, Cho garnered 56 percent approval during the shareholders meeting held at Hanjin KAL headquarters in Seoul on Friday. About 43 percent were against him holding the post.  Despite concerns to mainta

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday that it has promoted Kia Motors Vice President Song Ho-sung to president and appointed Jochen Paesen to lead Kia Motors’ interior design team as a director. The company said the latest executive reshuffle is to execute the company’s future mobility vision and bring change to the current leadership.  President Song had previously led the automaker’s export sales, European sales and global business management teams, the company said. He is

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday that it has completed the establishment of a 50:50 joint venture with the US software developer of autonomous vehicles Aptiv. The headquarters of the joint venture will be set up in Boston, Massachusetts, and it will run research centers in both the US and Asia, the company said, adding that the company mission will be announced in the near future. In September last year, Hyundai Motor Group clinched a deal with Aptiv, formerly known as Delphi, for a $4 billion