Equus stretch-limo in service
President Park Geun-hye waves from Hyundai Motor's bulletproof Equus limousine on the way to her inauguration at the National Assembly plaze in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap
By Kim Tae-jong
President Park Geun-hye chose to ride in a Hyundai Motor Equus limousine on her way to the inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly plaza in Seoul on Monday morning. She is the first Korean president to choose a car made by a local company for the occasion.
Earlier in the day, she took a Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman Guard from her house in Gangnam to Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-dong, and changed to the Equus to go to the inauguration.
She waved through the sunroof of the car to people gathered on the streets on her way to the National Assembly.
The car was a stretch version of the Korean automaker’s flagship luxury sedan and offers passengers strong protection against various dangers.
The armored Equus was developed in cooperation with Stoof International, a German company that specializes in the construction of such vehicles.
Three bullet-proof Equus were first provided to the Korean Presidential Security Service in 2009 but they received more attention when offered to VVIP guests for the 2010 G20 Seoul Summit.
Hyundai also provided the bulletproof Equus limousine to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon when he was here last year, in celebration of his second term.
But Hyundai refused to elaborate more on the specifications of the car, citing safety concerns.
“It’s very confidential information,” a Hyundai official said. “We’re not allowed to provide details on the car for safety reasons.”
It is known that the Equus is capable of stopping rounds from common assault rifles. The car weighs about 4,000 kilograms, equipped with the same 5.0-liter V-8 engine used in standard Equus models.
The car was a surprise choice, as all former presidents used imported bulletproof sedans for official events.
The nation’s first bulletproof sedan was a Cadillac, which former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower gave to Korea’s first President Syngman Rhee as a gift in 1956.
Park Chung-hee, the late father of the new president, rode a Cadillac Fleetwood 68 Limousine after having it modified for the highest level of protection.
Former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo used Lincoln Continental limousines, while Kim Dae-jung used a Mercedes-Benz S600 and his successor Roh Moo-hyun opted for the S600 Pullman Guard, which Lee Myung-bak also rode in on his inauguration day.
Lee traveled in the armored Equus when he left Cheong Wa Dae and returned to his home in Nonhyun-dong, Seoul, Sunday.
Currently, Cheong Wa Dae has four types of official car ― the BMW 760Li High Security, the Mercedes-Benz Pullman Guard, the Cadillac Deville and the Equus.
Of them, the S600 Pullman Guard has been the preferred choice for official events for presidents in recent years.
It comes with Mercedes' "Highest Protection" safety package, which means that it has been engineered to resist military-standard small-arms projectiles, hand grenades and other explosive charges.
With the armor protection and thick windows, the S600 Pullman features among the heaviest doors that weigh around 100 kilograms.
Park traveled in a Kia Motors Carnival van during her election campaign and even for a while after she won the election.
It is known that she liked the vehicle because she can travel with her entourage and key aides as it can accommodate 11 passengers, and the vehicle is also allowed to use bus lanes if more than six people are on board.