Hyundai to adopt 'double-shift' at Jeonju factory

Workers assemble parts for truck at Hyundai Motor's commercial vehicle factory in Jeonju. / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor

By Kim Tae-jong

Hyundai Motor and its labor union agreed Monday to launch a double-shift work system at its commercial vehicle factory in Jeonju to meet growing demand. The move is expected to create about 1,000 new jobs.

“We have decided to introduce two consecutive shifts per day to enhance the production volume and contribute to the creation of new jobs,” an official from Hyundai Motor said.

The automaker has suffered from a delay in production for about six months, as its current capacity stands at only 60,000 vehicles. The double-shift system is expected to increase the production capacity to 100,000.

With the decision, the nation’s largest automaker will have its all manufacturing factories operating double shifts.

Previously, the automaker abolished the overnight shift and instead introduced two consecutive shifts per day with all workers to be off the lines by 1:10 a.m., at the latest, in order to improve the quality of life of workers.

The abolition put an end to the overnight shift system that was maintained for 45 years since the opening of the carmaker’s first plant in Ulsan in 1967.