Ssangyong Motor, South Korea's smallest carmaker, resumed car production Thursday after an 83-day work stoppage due to a labor strike.

Ssangyong expects to produce 2,600 units this month and 4,000 units per month from September.

Ssangyong's operation has been suspended as unionized workers occupied the automaker's plant in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, in protest against massive layoffs under the restructuring program.

Hundreds of unionized workers occupied the plant for 77 days, battling riot police with firebombs and steel pipes. Last week, they ended their strike after reaching an agreement with management in the face of a massive police raid.

Ssangyong's sales plunged 74 percent in the first half of this year to 13,000 units from a year earlier amid the global economic slump. The company has an annual production capacity of 200,000 units. Last month alone, Ssangyong sold only 71 vehicles due to the work stoppage.

SAIC Motor, China's biggest domestic automaker, gave up its management control when Ssangyong came under court receivership in February. A bankruptcy court gave the South Korean company until Sept. 15 to submit a turnaround plan.