Korea Times Business Reporter
Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux, left, poses with Renault Korea CEO Nicolas Paris, Tuesday, after the French carmaker presented him with the Filante high-end crossover as his official diplomatic vehicle. The move highlights Renault’s efforts to strengthen its ties with the French diplomatic community in Korea. Courtesy of Renault Korea
![[PHOTO] Renault Filante chosen as French ambassador's diplomatic car](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Hyundai Motor will launch more than 100 new models globally by 2030, as it seeks to navigate mounting challenges from tariffs in the United States, rising Chinese rivals and the industry's rapid shift toward future mobility. The automaker unveiled the plan Wednesday at its 2026 CEO Investor Day in Seoul, attended by investors, analysts and credit rating agencies. The new vehicle launches include full and partial model changes and derivatives. More than 18 of them will be entirely new models entering vehicle segments where Hyundai currently has no lineup. Hyundai Motor also presented a vision to expand beyond its traditional automotive business into autonomous driving and robotics, seeking to solidify its position as a physical artificial intelligence (AI) company. In the fourth quarter of this year, the company will supply the autonomous driving company Waymo with robotaxis based on the IONIQ 5 produced at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia. Hyundai Motor also plans to expand its contract manufacturing, or foundry, business in the autonomous vehicle sector. Starting
Samsung is strengthening its push into the luxury mobility market by supplying key components for Genesis’ flagship GV90, with Samsung Display’s premium OLED screens and Samsung SDI’s large battery cell powering the high-end electric SUV. The collaboration marks an expansion of cooperation between Samsung and Genesis, as both companies seek to capitalize on growing demand for premium electric vehicles (EVs) and sophisticated in-car experiences. Samsung Display is supplying two OLED displays for the GV90 — a 24.6-inch central Cinematic Display and 13.2-inch screens mounted on the backs of the front-seat headrests. The displays began shipping this month, according to the company. The centerpiece is the expandable 24.6-inch OLED display positioned at the center of the vehicle. It can operate as a 23.6-inch screen while driving, showing navigation, driving information and media. When the vehicle is parked, the screen rises 90 millimeters at the push of a button, expanding to its full 24.6-inch size. Self-emissive OLED displays are generally about 30 percent of the thickness and 70 pe
LS Electric has signed an agreement with global power infrastructure company GE Vernova to establish a joint venture focused on voltage-source converter high-voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) technology, seeking to strengthen their competitiveness in Korea’s next-generation power grid market. The two companies signed the strategic cooperation agreement at CIGRE 2026, a major global power grid technology event, in Paris on Tuesday (local time). LS Electric Chairman Koo Ja-kyun and CEO Chae Dae-seok attended the ceremony along with Philippe Piron, CEO of GE Vernova’s Electrification segment, and Johan Bindele, CEO of its Grid Systems Integration business. The joint venture, to be named Grid X Technology, will combine GE Vernova’s VSC-HVDC technology with LS Electric’s local manufacturing and project execution capabilities. The companies will cooperate on key equipment supply and the joint execution of HVDC projects in Korea, while seeking opportunities to expand into overseas markets. The partnership is expected to support Korea’s efforts to modernize its power grid and strength
The planned merger of Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul has reignited Busan’s push to host the headquarters of the integrated low-cost carrier (LCC) and build a second aviation hub outside Seoul. The issue has gained urgency, as Air Busan will soon be absorbed into Jin Air, leaving the southern port city without its own regional carrier. As Air Busan is set to disappear as a separate legal entity following the upcoming launch of the converged Jin Air in March next year, relocating the headquarters of the surviving Jin Air to Busan is emerging as the city’s last major option. However, the bid faces challenges, as Jin Air’s articles of association stipulate that its headquarters must be located in Seoul. Busan civic groups are calling for amendments to relevant laws to allow the integrated LCC to be headquartered in the southeastern city. With Gadeokdo New Airport under construction in Busan, local communities argue that a regional carrier is essential to ensuring the airport’s successful opening and early operations. The debate is also gaining political weight, as the government has
Hyundai Motor’s belated wage deal has removed a major risk to the carmaker’s production of new strategic vehicles, including the Avante, Grandeur and Tucson — three flagship models that will drive the carmaker’s earnings in the latter half of this year. According to the carmaker, Hyundai Motor’s management and its union reached a tentative wage agreement Tuesday, ending months of labor disputes that had disrupted vehicle production and increased financial pressure on workers and parts suppliers. The carmaker faced mounting production risks since July, when its union started strikes. Hyundai Motor’s lost sales are estimated to reach more than 1 trillion won ($723.5 million) due to the strike. However, with both sides compromising to restore normal production operations, the carmaker has avoided a worst-case scenario and cleared one of its biggest risks this year. Hyundai Motor plans to focus on assembling the key highly sought-after models for earnings recovery. One of the key issues that blocked the timely agreement was the introduction of new technologies, such as physical a
Renault Korea is strengthening its after-sales service network to provide customers with consistent maintenance quality and convenience regardless of where they live or travel in the country. For drivers who plan to keep their vehicles for years, reliable after-sales service can be just as important as the quality of the vehicle itself. If maintenance quality or customer service varies from one service center to another, it can undermine trust in the brand. Renault Korea operates 365 service centers nationwide to ensure customers can easily access maintenance services across the country. The company also provides technical training and standardized maintenance procedures to maintain consistent service quality. One of its key programs is the R:assure Premium Care Solution. The program, offered to customers who purchase the Filante, provides free engine oil and air-conditioning filter replacements, as well as three premium inspections, within three years or 45,000 kilometers of purchase. Customers can also receive one free brake fluid replacement. The company has also expanded digital serv
Korea is emerging as a key test bed for the global chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle market, as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Genesis prepare to go head-to-head with flagship models targeting corporate executives and business owners. The competition is set to intensify in the second half of this year with the launch of the Genesis GV90, the latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW's 7 Series. The luxury lineup reflects a major shift in Korea's automotive market where demand for high-end vehicles is expanding beyond mainstream and entry-level segments to some of the world's most expensive cars. Genesis unveiled the GV90, its first ultra-large flagship electrified SUV, in San Francisco on Wednesday, with a Korean launch scheduled possibly around the fourth quarter. The luxury automaker under Hyundai Motor Group is positioning the model's four-seat Neolun Executive Suite as a direct challenger in the chauffeur-driven market, traditionally dominated by large luxury sedans. The top-end GV90 features a wood floor, radiant heating system, refrigerator and table, while the front seats can electrically swivel
SAN FRANCISCO — Tucked along Pier 15 on San Francisco’s Embarcadero, the Exploratorium looks at first glance like an ordinary science museum. However, when stepping inside the facility, the atmosphere quickly changes: Visitors twist, pull, balance, peer at and experiment with exhibits, discovering scientific principles not by reading explanations on a wall, but instead by experiencing them firsthand. The world-renowned science museum has become a model for science and educational institutions around the globe — and now Hyundai Motor Group is also looking to bring its hands-on philosophy to Korea. The group signed a strategic partnership with the Exploratorium in April to develop an interactive science museum in Korea, with the facility targeted to open in 2032. The museum will serve as a flagship exhibition space within Hyundai Motor Group’s planned Global Business Complex new headquarters in Seoul, offering residents, international visitors and future generations opportunities to explore science and technology in new ways. “You can see the Exploratorium as a place where people
SAN FRANCISCO — Genesis has engineered the GV90 Neolun with a string of hidden structural reinforcements to ensure top-level safety despite the absence of a conventional B-pillar, executives from the luxury carmaker said Thursday (local time). The GV90 Neolun features the Arch Gate, a world-first independently opening coach-door system that eliminates the conventional B-pillar between the front and rear doors, creating a wide, unobstructed opening. Removing the visible pillar, however, does not mean sacrificing structural strength, according to Lee Dae-hee, head of Genesis’ body design group. “We moved the structural functions normally handled by the B-pillar into the doors,” Lee said. “The hidden B-pillar structure uses two 1.8-gigapascal-strength steel beams arranged vertically and horizontally, with upper stoppers and impact hooks reinforcing the structure.” Genesis also incorporated a “hidden roll cage” — a separate structural framework built into the body to surround the passenger compartment. Combined with the hidden B-pillar structure, the system is designed to d