Most Popular
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Exports to US reach all-time high, widen gap with China
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Trump rekindles criticism: US forces defending 'wealthy' S. Korea 'free of charge'
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[Music in drama] Rekindle a love that slipped through your fingers
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S. Korea discussed possible participation in AUKUS Pillar 2 with Australia: defense minister
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Opposition-led Assembly unilaterally passes bill to probe Marine's death
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[New faces of Assembly] Architect behind ‘audacious initiative’ believes in denuclearized North Korea
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Seoul Metro to seek legal action against malicious complaints
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Illit, mired in controversy, remains on Billboard charts for 5th week
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On May Day, labor unions blast Yoon's foreign nanny proposal
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Golden chance to liquidate babies’ gold rings?
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Nissan Korea aims to lead foreign EV market by 2017
SEOGWIPO, Jejudo Island ― Nissan Korea, which debuted Leaf, the world’s best-selling electric vehicle, last December in Jejudo Island, has set a goal of becoming the top foreign EV brand within three years. For now, Nissan is one of the two foreign EV brands doing business in Korea along with BMW. Industry watchers forecast more foreign electric cars will soon enter the local market. “Despite growing competition, we think it is an achievable goal, considering Leaf’s credibility, safety and techn
March 8, 2015
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Renault Samsung jump-starts electric taxi market with EV
SEOGWIPO, Jejudo Island ― Renault Samsung Motor, the Korean unit of French automaker Renault S.A., will enter the electric taxi market with the SM3 Z.E., its sedan-type EV, ahead of its rivals, in an effort to retake its market leadership in the local zero-emission car market. SM3 Z.E. was the best-selling EV model in Korea in 2013, but was pushed into the second spot last year by Kia Motors’ Soul EV.“The company plans to sell 1,000 units of the SM3 Z.E. nationwide this year,’’ said Park Dong-ho
March 8, 2015
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2nd electric car expo launches on Jeju Island
The second International Electric Vehicle Expo (IEVE) kicked off Friday on Jeju Island for a 10-day run, attracting automakers and experts from around the world."We will see to it that this year will mark the start of the commercialization of electric cars on Jeju Island ... and by the end of the year, we will up the number of such vehicles here to nearly 3,000 units from the current 852," said Kim Dae-hwan, head of the IEVE organizing committee. Citing that the IEVE is "a unique event that only
March 6, 2015
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Renault Samsung seeks to sell 1,000 electric cars in S. Korea
Renault Samsung Motor Co., the local unit of French automaker Renault S.A., said Friday it plans to sell 1,000 units of its electric vehicles (EVs) in South Korea this year in a bid to become an industry leader in the country's battery-powered car market. "The company's annual sales goal for the year of 1,000 units is about one-third of the amount that the government is looking to have people purchase this year," Park Dong-hoon, sales chief and vice president of Renault Samsung, said ahead of th
March 6, 2015
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Ssangyong Motor may go all-in on SUV market
Ssangyong Motor on Tuesday said the company is planning to revamp its flagship large sedan the Chairman into a sport utility vehicle model, hinting at the company’s future direction as an all-SUV maker.“There is a risk of carrying on with the Chairman W as a sedan,” said Ssangyong CEO Lee Yoo-il in a news conference at the Geneva Motor Show. “We are considering various options for the future. Changing our platforms to high-end SUV production in order to meet with the market demand is one of them
March 4, 2015
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Foreign small cars woo young Korean drivers
Spotting small-sized foreign cars in the Korean streets will be more common this year as foreign car manufacturers are competing to debut their smaller models in different segments, targeting young Korean customers. “Going smaller in every segment will be the buzzword in the foreign auto community this year,’’ an industry insider said. BMW debuted the New Active Tourer,its minivan brand, in Korea last week. Audi launched a high-performance version of the A3, its smallest and cheapest sedan brand
March 3, 2015
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Peugeot cuts compact SUV prices
Peugeot is seeking to dominate Korea’s compact sport utility vehicle market with reinforced lineups and a discounted price for its signature New Peugeot 2008 models. Hanbul Motors, the official importer of the French carmaker, on Monday said it will readjust the price of its New Peugeot 2008 Feline L model to 30.9 million won ($29,000) from the previous 31.5 million won, inclusive of taxes. Also as part of the beef-up measures, the previous Feline, Allure and Active trims have been renamed as Fe
March 2, 2015
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Chevrolet Trax wins safety award in U.S.
The 2015 Chevrolet Trax, General Motors’ small sport utility vehicle, won the top safety award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the United States on Feb. 24, GM Korea said in a press release. “The Trax received a good rating in all test categories, including the small-overlap test,” the company said. The small-overlap test is a stringent test that replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object. The IIHS also has reaffirmed t
March 1, 2015
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Korea’s new diesel emissions standards lure global truck makers
As Korea started applying tighter emission standards, Euro 6, to new diesel-powered commercial vehicles weighing more than 3.5 metric tons, from January this year, foreign truck makers are seeking to capitalize and grab a bigger market share. At present, the domestic truck makers continue to dominate with around 70 percent market share. Daimler Trucks, a commercial vehicle unit of Daimler AG, is one such global truck maker that considers the Korean market as high-growth potential. The company de
March 1, 2015
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Hyundai Motor's Accent tops subcompact market in China in Jan.
Hyundai Motor Co.'s Accent topped the subcompact car market in China in terms of sales last month, reflecting its growing appeal among local customers keen on quality and affordability, industry data showed Friday. Hyundai Motor sold a total of 26,515 units of the Accent last month in China in January, the largest monthly sales in the subcompact segment, according to the data. The Accent known as the Verna in China was trailed by Shanghai Volkswagen's Polo which sold 21,014 units last month.
Feb. 27, 2015
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Low oil prices unlikely to hurt hybrid car sales much: Toyota Korea
Fuel efficiency is one of major factors for people to consider when buying hybrid vehicles, but there are many other elements that could keep customers interested in such environmentally friendly cars that generate less emission and less driving noise, the head of the South Korean unit of Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday. Japanese automaker Toyota Motor is known for its high-profile hybrid models such as the Camry and the Prius. Historically low crude oil prices have been cited as a major downs
Feb. 26, 2015
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Major supercar brands to join Seoul Motor Show
Major supercar brands will join the 2015 Seoul Motor Show to be held at KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, from April 3-12, the exhibition’s organizing committee said Tuesday. The committee said during a news conference that Italian supercar brand Lamborghini will join the nation’s largest auto exhibition for the first time, with three models. Bentley Motors, a U.K.-based supercar manufacturer, will make a comeback to the biannual auto expo after eight years.Luxury sports car brand Maserati, w
Feb. 24, 2015
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Hyundai aims to widen client pool with turbo-added 2015 Sonata
South Korea's top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. is, without a doubt, best known at home for its Sonata midsize sedan lineup, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year since the name first entered the market in 1985. So far, the carmaker, under the wings of the world's No. 5 auto giant Hyundai Motor Group, has sold a cumulative 7.31 million units of its various editions under the Sonata label in 72 countries, according to the company's data. Recently, however, other segments have become po
Feb. 24, 2015
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S. Korean car buyers in 20s shrink amid job hunt struggles
South Koreans in their 20s have been cutting back on buying cars over the past four years as they cope with tough job-searching amid adverse business conditions, industry data showed Tuesday. Last year, a total of 109,671 vehicles were purchased by people in their 20s here, down 1.7 percent from the 111,558 units in 2013, according to the data by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association. The figure has been on a downtrend since 2011 when the number of newly registered cars to owners in
Feb. 24, 2015
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Kia's Soul EV becomes best-selling electric car in S. Korea last year
Kia Motors Corp.'s Soul electric vehicle was the most widely sold model among battery-powered cars in South Korea last year, data showed Monday, with two other local autos ranking second and third. A total of 414 units of the Soul EV were sold here in 2014, taking up more than a third of the 1,183 electric cars sold in the country over the one-year period, according to the data compiled by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association. Industry watchers said the popularity of the Soul EV is
Feb. 23, 2015
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BMW Premium Selection celebrates 10th anniversary
German luxury carmaker BMW is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Premium Selection collection. With the success of its premium used-car dealerships, the company has reinforced its checkup services and expanded its showrooms to satisfy people with different needs. The Premium Selection is available for all BMW and MINI cars that have been driven less than 100,000 kilometers in less than five years. A 72-point check is conducted before a car is granted Premium Selection status, which includes
Feb. 22, 2015
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Tivoli sales going strong
The Tivoli, Ssangyong Motor’s new flagship compact SUV, is gaining popularity well beyond market expectations, analysts say. According to market insiders, 9,500 oders for the Tivoli were received by mid-February, one month after its market debut on Jan. 13 orders are expected to exceed 10,000 by the end of the month. The figure is more than one-quarter of Ssangyong’s initial target of 38,500 units in the first year. Insiders say that buyers will face waiting times to receive their cars. “The Tiv
Feb. 22, 2015
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Tivoli sales reach 25 pct of annual target in one month
Ssangyong Motor Co.'s Tivoli sport utility vehicle, just launched last month, easily surpassed initial expectations as its sales reached nearly one fourth of the sales goal for the entire year, industry data showed Sunday. A total of 9,500 units of the SUV by South Korea's smallest carmaker were sold as of Tuesday since its Jan. 13 introduction, according to industry data.The figure marks 24.7 percent of Ssangyong Motor's original yearly sales target of 38,500 units for the car, which is the fir
Feb. 22, 2015
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Hyundai Motor to increase production of commercial vehicles
Hyundai Motor, the nation’s top automaker, announced Monday that it would invest 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion) in raising its annual production capacity of commercial vehicles to 100,000 units ― a 54 percent increase from the current 65,000 units ― by 2020.“About 80 percent of the investment will be allocated to research and development, while the remaining 20 percent will be spent on expansion of the commercial auto production line in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province,’’ the company said in a press
Feb. 16, 2015
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Maserati domestic sales soar to record high
Sales in Korea of the Italian luxury sports car brand Maserati soared to a record high of 723 units last year, up 469 percent from 2013, a company executive said last week. The jump was the highest among markets in the Southeast Asia and Pacific region.Sales of the Italian company’s luxury vehicles with price tags of over 100 million won ($91,000) grew at 252 percent on average in the same period. “If we look at Korea, this is the strongest and the biggest market in the (SEAP) region, accounting
Feb. 15, 2015