The Korea Times

Ssangyong Motor sets example for workplace harmony

Employees report for work at Ssangyong Motor’s Pyeongtaek plant,in Gyeonggi Province. The union and management have maintained a cooperative relationship, helping the company post stronger sales this year./ Courtesy of Ssangyong MotorRebound gains momentum on cooperative relationship between company, workersBy Park Jin-haiPYEONGTAEK, Gyeonggi Province ― An Du-hean, who has worked on an assembly line in Ssangyong Motor's plant here for 16 years, says that he learned more about the importance of his job and family the hard way."when unionists waged a 77-day strike in 2009, I doubted that I might lose my job," he said. "Only after the company was put into court receivership and made massive layoffs, did I learn the painful lesson that I can only make a living when the company is in good shape."Hyundai Motor and Renault Samsung Motors' unions have long locked horns with management over wages and other labor issues, but Ssangyong Motor's labor-management relationship is quite different.The union says its primary interest is to ensure the production of top-quality vehicles,

Aug 27, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Ssangyong Motor sets example for workplace harmony

Companies

Diesels lead Busan Motor Show

GM Korea CEO Sergio Rocha stands beside the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Concept, which was featured as the character Bumblebee in the upcoming Hollywood movie Transformers 4, at the Busan International Motor Show, Thursday. / Courtesy of GM KoreaBy Park Jin-haiThe 2014 Busan International Motor Show (BIMOS 2014) kicked off its 11-day run Thursday, showcasing a record number of new production and concept cars.The seventh biennial motor show, under the theme “Ocean of Vehicles, Feeding the World,” will showcase a record 211 cars from 22 manufacturers at the newly furbished BEXCO venue until June 8. Instant eye-catchers are various concept cars such as the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro, which “plays” the role of Bumblebee in the upcoming Hollywood movie “Transformers 4: Age of Extinction.”Based on demand from the domestic auto market, this year’s motor show can be summed up as a passion for “diesel” and “fuel economy.”Two cars were unveiled to the public for the first time globally, while five had their Asian premieres and 20 their deb

May 29, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Companies

POSCO E&C uses Vietnam as springboard for its Southeast Asian business

POSCO E&C’s Hanoi construction master plan will develop and expand the boundaries of the overpopulated capital by 2050. / Courtesy of POSCO E&CBy Park Jin-haiHwang Tae-hyunCEO of POSCO E&C.POSCO E&C, an affiliate of the country’s No. 1 steel maker POSCO, which specializes in plant building and urban development, has marked two decades of business in Vietnam. The construction firm has built two landmark structures there since 1995  the Diamond Plaza complex, its first luxury shopping center in Ho Chi Minh city, and the Poslilama Steel Plant in Long Than, 60 kilometers from the capital. “Over the last five years, Vietnam has emerged as one of the most attractive destinations in Southeast Asia. The country was bustling with fresh construction projects in the civil sector, infrastructure, roads and bridges, urban development, and industry and energy,” said a spokesman for the company.As the builder of POSCO steel plants, with accumulated expertise and experience, it has clinched successive construction contracts in the Southeast Asian cou

May 28, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Companies

Daewoo Shipbuilding, SKT agree to develop 'smart ship'

Eom Hang-seop, left, managing director of Strategic Planning at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, poses with Lee Myung-geun, head of SK Telecom’s corporate business division, at SK Telecom’s headquarters in Euljiro, Seoul, Tuesday, after signing a memorandum of understanding to build ‘smart ships.’ / Courtesy of Daewoo ShipbuildingBy Park Jin-haiDaewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), the world’s second-largest shipbuilder, and Korea’s top mobile carrier, SK Telecom (SKT), have teamed up to develop ICT-based “smart ships.”In a statement Tuesday, SKT said it signed a memorandum of understanding with DSME to cooperate in a research and development (R&D) venture to build the high-tech, next-generation ships. The vessel will be equipped with a global telecommunication network based on navigation and monitoring systems, while all the on-board services will be converged onto a single network. Under the alliance, SKT will provide ICT guidelines, optimized blueprints and R&D resources, while DSME will share the

May 28, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Companies

GM Korea needs segment upgrade

By Park Jin-haiGM Korea may use the ongoing recall crisis hitting its parent firm to reposition itself for better profits, an analyst said Tuesday.“It would be a make-or-break moment for GM Korea. The Korean plant, which mainly manufactures small cars like the Chevrolet Aveo, should upgrade the segment to Impala-level,” said Shin Chung-kwan, equity analyst for automotive industries at KB Investment & Securities.He reasons that increasing labor costs make the Korean plant less attractive than its Chinese or Thailand rivals in the small-car segment.Currently the U.S. automaker is in the process of overhauling the company from top down and expanding safety-related staff.But upgrading the segment will not be easy for GM Korea.“The same thing happened to Hyundai Motor, which over time shifted its focus from the Accent to Genesis. Unlike its rival, however, GM Korea doesn’t have that flexibility, as it doesn’t have the authority to make those kinds of decisions on its own,” he added.The bright side of GM’s Korean affiliate is that its productio

May 28, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Companies

Renault Samsung Motors' facelift trio boost sales

Renault Samsung Motors’ new crossover utility vehicle, the QM3, alongside the QM5 Neo and SM3 Neo, has been pushing up the automaker’s sales. / Courtesy of Renault Samsung MotorsBy Park Jin-haiFaced with foreign carmakers launching new lineups and conducting aggressive sales promotions to increase market share, Renault Samsung Motors is upbeat about its future. In April, the company set a new record by selling 12,542 cars, up 15.4 percent year-on-year. Domestic sales were up 35.7 percent at 6,153 in the same period. Boosted by its improved sales, it now says that it has gone a step closer to reaching its goal of becoming the No. 3 market player following Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors.“It is the design change. The trio of the QM5 Neo, QM3 and SM3 Neo  facelift models with more modern and dynamic designs  have been pushing up sales from last year,” said Renault Samsung Chief Executive Francois Provost in a statement.The automaker has been building a family look or design integration for major models in a bid to increase its brand recognition. Benef

May 26, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Companies

Hyundai Motor to hold hiring session in US in Aug

By Park Jin-haiHyundai Motor will hold an overseas recruitment session in the United States in hopes of tapping into the global talent pool. For the “4th Hyundai Global Top Talent Forum,” to be held in San Francisco from Aug. 22-24, graduate students holding master’s or doctorate degrees in natural sciences or engineering may apply, it said. Those who have auto-related work experience can also apply. Instead of the regular hiring process, the three-day event will take on the look of a forum, where applicants will present their ideas about how to innovate the automotive technology by incorporating their areas of specialty.“Tapping into the global talents in various fields, who can develop core technologies and spearhead innovation, is integral to secure the company’s market-leading competiveness,” said a public relations official. The company declined to disclose how many recruits for which it will be looking.With the theme of “Technology leads the next generation for automotive industry,” a total of six sessions in areas ― performa

May 22, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Companies

GS Group chief stresses 'safety-first' management

By Park Jin-haiHuh Chang-sooGS Group ChairmanGS Group Chairman Huh Chang-soo said on Wednesday that “safety-first” management is essential for future growth of the group. At an in-house “GS Value Creation Forum” at its headquarters in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, Huh said that safety issues should not just be the responsibility of a few people in managerial positions.He said the group must also learn lessons from the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry.“Safety is something everybody should keep at all costs. The safety-first principle should be incorporated into our corporate culture,” he said. The forum is an annual event for the group where some 400 CEOs and senior staffers share their yearly achievements and cases of innovative management.“Preventing and eliminating the possible causes of accidents is important. But, equally important is the after-theincident emergency system,” he said. “In the event of an accident, we should judge the situation based on facts and urgently respond to it at the site. That is the way we can r

May 21, 2014By Park Jin-hai

GS Group chief stresses 'safety-first' management

Companies

Boeing Korea announces new president

By Park Jin-haiEric JohnEric John, a long-time U.S. career diplomat, has been named to head Boeing Korea.The U.S. aircraft manufacturer’s Korean office announced Wednesday that its new president will join the company on May 30 and begin his work as early as June. John will succeed Pat Gaines, who retires in September after serving 27 years with Boeing. John is known to many as a specialist on Korea. He served three tours here after he joined the Foreign Service in 1983. Most recently he worked as the minister counselor for political affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. He also served as the deputy director of Korean affairs in Washington, D.C. “Eric brings valuable experience from the public sector and international government operations, and will help further expand our presence and collaboration with Korean customers, partners, communities and employees,” said Shep Hill, president of Boeing International and senior vice president of business development and strategy in a recent interview. John, a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, ho

May 21, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Companies

Hyundai Motor to recall 140,000 SUVs in US

By Park Jin-haiHyundai Motor will recall more than 140,000 Tucson crossover utility vehicles in the United States and Puerto Rico due to airbag assembly defects. It is recalling 137,500 Tucsons in the United States as well as 3,500 in Puerto Rico, from model years 2011 to 2014.According to a report the company filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, two bolts tightening the driver’s airbag to the steering wheel may become loose, which might result in injury to the driver in the event of a collision. The company is currently grappling with a U.S. court verdict, delivered on May 13, ordering it to pay $248 million in damages for a 2011 accident which killed two teenagers aboard a Tiburon sports car. It is seeking an immediate appeal against the verdict.Industry watchers say that both the recall and the U.S. verdict will have limited impact on the company’s earnings. “The Tiburon model was phased out of the market from 2001. And the reason for the accident is not clear at the moment,” said Kim Pyung-mo, an analyst at Dongbu Securities, Mond

May 19, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Park Jin-hai

Read more

Ssangyong Motor sets example for workplace harmony

Diesels lead Busan Motor Show

POSCO E&C uses Vietnam as springboard for its Southeast Asian business

Daewoo Shipbuilding, SKT agree to develop 'smart ship'

GM Korea needs segment upgrade

Renault Samsung Motors' facelift trio boost sales

Hyundai Motor to hold hiring session in US in Aug

GS Group chief stresses 'safety-first' management

Boeing Korea announces new president

Hyundai Motor to recall 140,000 SUVs in US

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