By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Green car owners may get extra benefits, after a group of 37 lawmakers of the governing and opposition parties submitted Thursday a bill to give them a 50-percent discount in car-related taxes, fees needed for using public parking lots and tollgate fees.
The bipartisan effort came after the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) unveiled a plan to cut 3.1 million won in taxes for those who purchase green cars such as hybrid vehicles, effective from July.
According to the city government, 7,939 green cars were sold as of 2008.
Rep. Song Young-gil of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) spearheaded the initiative designed to boost demand for eco-friendly vehicles and help local automakers become more competitive.
Legislators of the governing Grand National Party, the Liberty Forward Party and the Democratic Labor Party joined the move.
``The local auto industry's standing in global green car technology is relatively weaker than those of Japan and other advanced countries. And sales of hybrid and green cars here are slow,'' said Song in a press release.
He added the factors could lead the local automakers to lose competitiveness in the car market in the near future.
Song explained that he and other lawmakers came up with the supportive measures for eco-friendly car owners to ultimately help the local auto industry have a stronger standing in the market.
Last year, President Lee Myung-bak vowed to make Korea become the fourth largest green car exporter before his five-year term ends in early 2013.
Following Lee's commitment, Hyundai-Kia Motors announced plans to invest 11 trillion won in research and development of green cars, along with recruiting 4,500 workers, pledging to achieve green car power earlier than the date Lee promised.
The global automaker reportedly sold more cars in January in the United States, China and India than the same month last year, which is in contrast to other global brands such as GM, Ford and Toyota.
Hyundai posted sales of 24,512 vehicles in January in the United States, a 14.3-percent increase from the corresponding period a year ago, and Kia's sales also rose 3.5 percent.
According to U.S. Automotive News, the combined sales of Hyundai and Kia were up 8.9 percent in the U.S. market, which plunged 37.1 percent.
Hyundai-Kia's market share in the United States stood at 7.6 percent.
Dave Zuchowski, sales chief at Hyundai Motor America, was quoted as saying that its new Assurance Program allowing consumers to return their new Hyundai vehicles if they lose their jobs within a year provided great momentum.
Hyundai also achieved higher China and India sales in February compared with the same month in 2008, marking 72.2 percent and 45.3 percent increases, respectively.