Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, said Thursday that the chief of its US operations has resigned.

The automaker did not provide reasons for Dave Zuchowski's resignation, only saying W. Gerald Flannery, an executive vice president of Hyundai Motor America, will be working as an interim chief until Zuchowski's successor is named.


"A search for Zuchowski's replacement will begin immediately," the company said in a press release.

"We appreciate Dave's decade of service to Hyundai, especially his leadership as president and CEO, which has made us a stronger organization," Flannery was quoted as saying.

Earlier reports suggested Zuchowski, 58, may have been blamed for a recent slowdown in sales growth.

Hyundai Motor and its smaller affiliate Kia Motor Corp. sought to sell 8.13 million cars globally this year.

The figure would have marked a slight drop from 8.15 million cars sold last year, but the carmakers are widely expected to miss the target due to slowing sales at home and abroad.

Earlier reports noted that Hyundai has sold 707,485 cars as of end-November. The figure marks a 1.3-percent on-year gain, but also a significant slowdown from 5-percent growth in the previous year, and double-digit increases in 2010 and 2011, they added. (Yonhap)