APD | South Korean automakers resume partial operation after COVID-19 impacts

By APD writer Alice

South Korean auto manufacturers said they had resumed part of their operations, which had been delayed due to a shortage of spare parts supplies from China, which was heavily affected by the acute respiratory disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Hyundai Motors and its associate Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's two largest carmakers, said they restarted manufacturing activities at domestic plants on February 11, mainly thanks to using automotive components imported from Southeast Asia. A spokesperson of Hyundai Motor said the company expects Hyundai and Kia plants to operate normally next week.

For the first time since the Asian financial crisis in 1997, Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors had to stop all operations at their factories from February 7 to February 10.

In addition to Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, the other three local automakers - SsangYong Motor Co., Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and GM Korea Co. also hoped that parts supply problems will be solved soon.

SsangYong Motor and Renault Samsung said their factories will resume operations on February 13 and February 17, respectively, when Chinese suppliers come back this week.

Meanwhile, GM Korea said its production activities were not affected by the coronavirus outbreak, although the company is still closely monitoring the epidemic situation to avoid any impact on its operations.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)