Korea calls for France's cooperation on EV subsidy scheme

This photo shows an electric car being charged on a terminal in a parking lot in Lille, northern France, Sept. 27, 2022. AFP-Yonhap

Korea has asked for France's active cooperation on addressing the exclusion of some locally produced electric vehicles (EV) from the list eligible for subsidies in the European country, Seoul's industry ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry made the request during the eighth forum on the cooperation of new industry technologies held in Paris, as the Niro and Soul EVs of Korea's Kia were excluded from the list of eligible car types in accordance with France's revised rules on consumer incentives for EV purchases.

The subsidy scheme, implemented this month, includes new criteria of the amount of carbon emitted over the course of manufacturing EVs, and Niro and Soul were excluded as they are manufactured in Korea before being shipped to Europe.

The list mostly involves European models, and Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor's Kona SUVs were the only model on the list as they are produced in the Czech Republic.

"On the sidelines of the forum, the two sides had in-depth discussions on pending economic issues, and Korea asked once again for France's cooperation on the policy," the ministry said in a release.

The Seoul government has expressed regret to France over the exclusion decision and has called for the swift beginning of an official appeal process.

The forum, meanwhile, brought together some 80 French companies and 25 Korean firms, as well as experts and relevant institutions, and they explored ways of working together on advanced technologies and supply chains of new industries, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)