Hyundai, Kia brace for tougher US fight as tariffs linger, EV aid ends

Hyundai Motor and Kia are buckling up for a tougher battle in the United States amid the stalling tariff negotiations between Seoul and Washington, with the US federal subsidies for electric vehicles set to end this month. Although Korea and the US agreed to lower the tariffs imposed on Korean-made US-bound auto exports to 15 percent from 25 percent at the end of July, the two countries have failed to finalize terms to bring the agreed levies into effect. For non-US automakers like Hyundai and K

Sept. 18, 2025

Fescaro, TUV Nord join forces on auto cybersecurity compliance

South Korean mobility software solutions provider Fescaro said Wednesday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with TUV Nord, a German global testing and certification organization, to cooperate in the automotive cybersecurity regulatory compliance business. Under the agreement, the two companies will develop a one-stop solution to help automakers and suppliers meet compliance requirements. The service will encompass consulting for cybersecurity management systems, education and train

Sept. 17, 2025

[Photo News] Genesis Magma clinches third LMP2 win

The Genesis Magma Racing team, operated by Hyundai Motor, celebrates on the podium after winning the Le Mans Prototype 2 class at 4 Hours of Silverstone in Northamptonshire, England, Sunday, the fifth round of the 2025 European Le Mans Series. With this victory, the team secured their third win of the season in the class, a category that uses standardized chassis and engines to ensure balanced vehicle performance. With one round remaining in the series, Genesis Magma Racing currently sits second

Sept. 17, 2025

SK Innovation, KBR team up on battery recycling

SK Innovation announced Wednesday it is entering the global battery recycling market by licensing its battery metal recycling technology to KBR, a Texas-based energy solutions provider. Kim Pil-seok, head of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at SK Innovation, and Gautham Krishnaiah, chief technology officer of KBR, attended the signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding Tuesday at the Fastmarkets European Battery Raw Materials Conference 2025 held in Lisbon, Portuga

Sept. 17, 2025

SK On names first Europe chief in EV push

SK On has appointed a former Continental sales executive as its first head of Europe, underscoring the company’s drive to expand its foothold in the world’s second-largest electric vehicle market. According to media reports on Wednesday, Thomas Eller, a former senior executive at the German auto parts giant, officially assumed the newly established role earlier this month. Eller spent nearly two decades at Continental until May of this year, where he held several leadership roles in global sales

Sept. 17, 2025

SK On completes pilot plant, fast-tracks all-solid-state battery to 2029

SK On said Tuesday that it has completed the construction of its pilot plant for the next-generation all-solid-state batteries, accelerating commercialization by one year to 2029. All-solid-state battery cells are considered game-changers as they dramatically reduce the risk of battery explosion and electric vehicle fires compared to conventional lithium-ion battery products. SK On held a completion ceremony Monday for its all-solid-state battery pilot plant at the Future Technology Institute in

Sept. 16, 2025

Hyundai Motor CEO expects 2-to-3-month delay at Georgia battery plant in wake of immigration raid

Hyundai Motor is expecting a delay of two to three months in the construction of its joint battery plant with LG Energy Solution in Georgia following a massive immigration raid by US authorities last week, according to Hyundai Motor CEO Jose Munoz on Thursday. Making his first public comments since the crackdown, Munoz told reporters on the sidelines of the Automotive News Congress in Detroit that it is typical for an automotive battery plant to employ highly skilled workers to get things off th

Sept. 12, 2025

LG Energy Solution funds flight for workers after US raid

LG Energy Solution has pledged to ensure the safe transport of detained workers released in Georgia, funding a Korean Air charter flight valued at around $1 billion. “We sincerely apologize for the distress caused to our employees, partners and their families due to the recent events,” the company said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support and cooperation from the Korean government and officials in both Korea and the US, and for the swift release of the detainees alo

Sept. 11, 2025

Samsung Display eyes bolstering mobility portfolio with OLED solutions

Samsung Display Co. will continue efforts to expand its mobility portfolio amid growing demand for organic light-emitting diode solutions in self-driving vehicles, a senior company official has said. Lee Joo-hyung, who heads the firm's mobile display business, made such remarks during a business conference Wednesday (German time) at the IAA Mobility 2025, Europe's largest mobility trade show, under way in Munich, Germany. "Display is emerging as the connecting point between automobiles and peopl

Sept. 11, 2025

FM Cho pledges to 'rescue' Korean detainees 'within shortest time'

Seoul's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun vowed Wednesday to "rescue" South Koreans detained in a recent US immigration crackdown "within the shortest time," as his ministry cited "unspecified US circumstances" as the reason for a delay in their release from a detention center in Georgia. Cho's remarks came as he is set to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House to discuss a range of issues concerning the detainees. They were initially scheduled to meet Tuesday, but their talks were re

Sept. 11, 2025

Foreign carmakers cut local dealers' role as direct sales gain ground

Foreign carmakers are accelerating a shift in Korea toward direct sales, cutting back the traditional role of dealers, who have long controlled inventory and pricing. By moving to company-set prices and online platforms, automakers aim to secure higher margins and build greater consumer trust, though pushback from dealers and mixed results abroad suggest the transition will be anything but smooth. Mercedes-Benz is currently taking the most visible steps. Since August, Mercedes-Benz Korea has bee

Sept. 10, 2025

Hyundai Motor unveils small EV concept to expand Ioniq lineup

Hyundai Motor has unveiled Concept Three, a new small, hatchback-style electric vehicle, offering a glimpse of what the automaker’s next EV might look like. Premiering the Concept Three on Tuesday at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, the Korean automaker said the design embodies its EV brand Ioniq’s vision for an expanded lineup of fully battery-powered cars. Hyundai Motor’s earlier release of the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 9 followed the automaker's unveiling of the semi-midsized concept EV 45 in 20

Sept. 9, 2025

Seoul to host intl. mobility conference with OECD transport body in Seoul

The government will host an international mobility conference this week with the International Transport Forum, the transport governing body of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in Seoul, officials said Monday. The 2025 Global Mobility Conference will run for two days from Tuesday under the theme of "Future Together: Innovation of Unlocking Progress." Discussions will cover the commercialization of autonomous driving and urban air mobility, and mobility rights for disadv

Sept. 8, 2025

Foreign Minister Cho to hold urgent meeting on US immigration crackdown

South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will preside over an emergency meeting Saturday to discuss responses after US immigration authorities arrested hundreds of South Korean nationals in a major raid at a South Korean plant construction site in Georgia. The meeting will be attended by two vice foreign ministers, top foreign ministry officials and those from relevant South Korean overseas diplomatic missions, the ministry said. US authorities arrested 457 people -- more than 300 of them South K

Sept. 6, 2025

Korea urges US clarification after 300+ Koreans detained in immigration raid at Hyundai-LG site

The Korean government expressed “grave concern” Friday after US authorities raided Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution’s joint venture battery plant construction site in Georgia, detaining about 450 undocumented workers, including some 300 Korean nationals. In a press briefing later in the day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it had “requested the US government to swiftly clarify the facts and ensure the protection of the legitimate rights of Korean companies and related personn

Sept. 5, 2025