Hyundai Motor Group chief urges ceaseless progress for sustainable growth

Chung Euisun, executive chair of Hyundai Motor Group, speaks during the group’s New Year opening ceremony held at Kia’s Autoland Gwangmyeong electric car-manufacturing plant in Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

Chung Euisun, executive chair of Hyundai Motor Group, urged employees to create a foundation for innovation that could lead the future mobility market by pursuing improvement relentlessly, the chairman of the nation’s largest automotive group said during its New Year opening ceremony, Wednesday.

"I've never predicted that the New Year would go smoothly every time it arrives. We have had many difficulties, but we have always overcome them. To overcome crises wisely, the most important thing is what kind of constitutional body type we have, and I believe a healthy constitution can overcome major difficulties," Chung said during the automotive group's New Year opening ceremony held at Autoland Gwangmyeong, south of Seoul, Kia's dedicated production plant for electric cars.

The executive chair proposed three directions as the top tasks for the group's sustainable growth — social responsibility for the environment; customer satisfaction and trust from high quality; and security awareness that can protect the company's intellectual assets.

"Humans have been thinking about sustainability for survival, but we need to try harder, and we need to pay more attention to carbon neutrality and the circular economy," he said. "We need to quickly create a hydrogen ecosystem, strengthen carbon neutrality activities through small modular reactors (SMRs) and clean energy, and activate the circular economy, including recycling of resources such as electric car batteries.”

Regarding quality, Chung emphasized, “Quality is the key factor in providing products and services beyond what customers expect and gaining satisfaction and trust. There can never be a compromise on quality, and in the end, a company with good quality can be recognized by customers."

Chung Euisun, front row center, executive chair of Hyundai Motor Group, and employees of the group’s affiliates wave during during the group’s New Year opening ceremony held at Kia’s Autoland Gwangmyeong in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

Encouraging ‘miri miri’ culture

The executive chair also emphasized that employees, whether as individuals or organizations, need to be prepared to cope with increasing global uncertainties.

In the past, Korea had a “ppalli ppalli” culture, which means “let’s get it done quickly,” but the culture of “miri miri,” which means “before something happens,” should be encouraged, Chung said.

"The global economic downturn continues, and conflicts and disputes are happening frequently everywhere. We need to prepare in advance to turn crises into opportunities and achieve sustainable growth," the chairman said.

"In the past, we shouted 'ppalli ppalli,' but now is the time for 'miri miri.’ I think if we prepare in advance, our personal lives will improve. We always need to learn and research diligently to develop the ability to make the right judgments. Hyundai Motor Group is also improving and supporting organizational systems to differentiate the capabilities of our organizations."

In addition to the executive chair, leaders of major affiliates also attended the ceremony and shared the group's future vision with employees.

Kim Heung-soo, executive vice president and head of the Global Strategy Office (GSO) at Hyundai Motor Group, showed a video of a Boston Dynamics robot handing a tool to a human and said “we will strive to develop intelligent robots that overcome the limits of human movement."

Shin Jai-won, head of the group's advanced air mobility division, said they are developing an air taxi with a goal to enter the market by 2028. "Our success strategy is to present the best aircraft at the optimal timing," he said.

Kia CEO Song Ho-sung said, "Autoland Gwangmyeong will play a central role in popularizing electrification by producing 150,000 of Kia's EV models, the EV3 and the EV4, annually."