Hyundai-backed company to launch driverless robotaxi service in Las Vegas SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - Motional, the autonomous-driving joint venture backed by Hyundai Motor Group, plans to commercialize a fully driverless robotaxi service in Las Vegas later this year. Hyundai Motor said Monday Motional outlined the plan during a media event held Jan. 8 at its Las Vegas Technical Center, where it aims to launch an unmanned autonomous-driving service operating at Society of Automotive Engineers, or SAE, Level 4 by the end of the year. Under the SAE’s six-level framework, which ranges from Level 0 to Level 5, Level 4 — described as “high automation” — allows a vehicle to operate without human intervention under most driving conditions. Motional said it will begin pilot operations early this year to complete final safety and customer-experience validations ahead of a commercial rollout. Both the pilot and the commercial service will be conducted in partnership with a global ride-hailing company. Las Vegas has served as Motional’s longest-running robotaxi testing ground and is considered a demanding environment for validating autonomous-driving systems, given its mix of traffic patterns, road layouts and tourist activity. Chief Executive Laura Major declined to disclose the initial scale of the rollout but said Motional has sufficient vehicles to meet strong demand in Las Vegas and intends to expand service over time. “We plan to expand with Las Vegas as the center,” she said. The company also outlined a longer-term technology roadmap that combines its existing rule-based autonomous-driving systems with end-to-end, or E2E, artificial-intelligence models. Rule-based systems are typically easier to validate for safety but can struggle with rare or unpredictable scenarios. A hybrid approach, Motional said, is intended to improve both safety and operational efficiency. End-to-end systems rely on AI models trained on large volumes of driving data to infer and respond to real-world situations, an approach prominently used by Tesla. Motional also plans to improve its handling of so-called edge cases by integrating multiple machine-learning models — covering perception, prediction and vehicle control — into a single large driving model. Hyundai Motor Group said it will deepen collaboration among Motional, group affiliate 42dot and its autonomous-vehicle platform division, AVP. The automaker is considering linking Motional’s operational data and validation systems from the Level 4 commercialization process with 42dot’s software-defined vehicle roadmap to improve development efficiency in autonomous driving and SDVs. The plan also calls for expanded use of shared data infrastructure and standardized safety evaluation frameworks across the group. “This year, when we begin our first commercial driverless service, is very important for Motional,” Major said. “We are strengthening our capabilities so we can advance the technology and expand the scale of service operations.” 2026-01-12 15:54:05

Kia unveils EV2 compact SUV at Belgium motor show SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - Kia Corp. on Monday unveiled the EV2, a new compact electric sport-utility vehicle, making its global debut at the 2026 Brussels Motor Show in Belgium. Inside, the vehicle features a wide digital display layout comprising a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 5-inch climate control display and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen. Kia retained physical buttons for key controls and added ambient lighting and a column-mounted shift-by-wire system. The EV2 GT Line includes a contrasting-color interior package. In its long-range configuration, the EV2 is equipped with a 61.0-kilowatt-hour battery, delivering a driving range of up to about 448 kilometers on a single charge under the WLTP laboratory standard with 16-inch wheels. Fast charging from 10 percent to 80 percent takes about 30 minutes for the long-range version and 29 minutes for the standard model. The vehicle supports plug-and-charge functionality, as well as 11-kilowatt and 22-kilowatt AC charging. Kia said it improved handling and ride comfort by revising the steering gear ratio and applying hydro bushings to the rear coupled torsion-beam axle. Connectivity and convenience features include a Harman Kardon sound system, Digital Key 2, and wireless over-the-air software updates. Kia said it plans to disclose detailed specifications and launch timelines in South Korea in the first half of the year for the EV3 GT, EV4 four-door GT and EV5 GT. At the Brussels show, the automaker is displaying 19 electrified models, including the EV2. “The EV2 is the most compact of Kia’s dedicated EVs, yet it delivers a lively in-cabin experience and an emotional design,” Chief Executive Song Ho-sung said in a press release. He added the model is intended to help broaden the adoption of electric vehicles with space and features that exceed its segment. 2026-01-12 09:52:39

[[CES 2026]] South Korea's Hyundai Wia unveils industrial robots, mobility parts LAS VEGAS, January 06 (AJP) - South Korea's Hyundai Wia has unveiled its manufacturing and logistics robot brand, H-Motion, at CES 2026, which opened here on Tuesday. H-Motion is Hyundai Wia’s first robotics brand and platform, covering autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), parking robots and collaborative robots designed for industrial use. The company said its AMRs and parking robots have already been supplied to Hyundai Motor manufacturing sites, including Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia, while the collaborative robot has completed mass-production testing at Hyundai Mobis. Hyundai Wia’s AMR can carry loads of up to 1.5 tons and supports both lidar-based autonomous navigation and guided driving using QR-code recognition. Its modular top unit, which loads cargo, can be replaced depending on the task, including lift modules that adjust height and turntable modules that change cargo direction. The parking robot operates as a paired system, with two robots moving beneath a vehicle, lifting its wheels and transporting it. The system can handle vehicles weighing up to 3.4 tons at speeds of up to 1.2 meters per second. The H-Motion lineup also includes collaborative robots designed to work alongside humans, automated guided vehicles that follow fixed routes using QR codes or magnets embedded in floors, and mobile platform robots that combine an AMR with a robotic arm. Alongside robotics, Hyundai Wia showcased future mobility components at CES, including a distributed heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for next-generation vehicles. “Through CES, people will be able to see Hyundai Wia’s mobility and robotics capabilities in a comprehensive way,” CEO Kwon Oh-sung said. 2026-01-06 14:03:59

Personal information of 30,000 Korean Air employees leaked SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - Personal information of around 30,000 Korean Air employees has been leaked, the country's flagship carrier said on Monday, raising security concerns after a spate of massive data breaches across various industries recently. The leak occurred when KC&D, the airline's supplier for in-flight meals and onboard sales, was hit by a hacking attack. According to Korean Air, the leaked data includes employees' names and bank account numbers. Korean Air said it is taking the breach seriously and has implemented emergency security measures. The airline added that no additional leaks have been detected beyond those already confirmed. KC&D was sold off from Korean Air in December 2020. 2025-12-29 14:43:54

SK Signet to raise 30 billion won to expand global EV charger business SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - EV charger maker SK Signet said on Friday its board had approved a third-party share sale worth about 30 billion won, with parent company SK Inc. set to participate in the offering. The company said the proceeds will be used to expand production infrastructure to support global growth and to strengthen product competitiveness. SK Signet plans to gradually increase capacity and improve operating efficiency centered on its production base in Texas, while accelerating research and development to broaden its lineup of high-power, ultra-fast chargers. The company also aims to secure key raw materials in advance and reinforce its global supply chain, it said. SK Signet said participation in the U.S. government’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program is expected to lift revenue in the coming years. In 2023, the company established a local manufacturing plant in Plano, Texas, and secured key permits, laying the groundwork for entry into the NEVI market. Through exclusive supply contracts with U.S. charging point operators including Francis Energy and Gilbarco, SK Signet said it is currently the only South Korean manufacturer participating in the NEVI program. Looking beyond North America, SK Signet said it plans to gradually expand its business footprint into Europe, South America and Oceania. CEO Cho Hyung-ki said in a press release that the company will leverage favorable market momentum, including the resumption of the NEVI program, to further strengthen its technology and quality competitiveness, while positioning itself as a leading global provider of end-to-end EV charging solutions. 2025-12-19 14:08:06

Hyundai Motor's Ioniq 9 outperforms BMW iX, Volvo EX90 in German magazine's SUV review SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor’s flagship electric SUV, the Ioniq 9, has taken the top spot in a major German comparison of electric SUVs, outperforming competing models from BMW, Volvo and Polestar, the company said Friday. German automotive magazine Auto Zeitung evaluated the Ioniq 9 against the BMW iX, Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3, reviewing categories including body design, driving convenience, powertrain and dynamic performance. The publication highlighted the vehicle’s spacious interior, made possible by Hyundai’s dedicated E-GMP electric platform. The second row includes power-adjustable leg rests, while the electronically folding third row offers greater cargo flexibility than its rivals. The magazine also cited the SUV’s additional features — such as a UV-C sterilization compartment, a Bose audio system with active road-noise control, and improved connectivity functions including charging-station navigation — as competitive strengths. “We are pleased that the Ioniq 9 has been recognized for its advanced technology and market appeal,” the company said in a press release. “We will continue striving to deliver top-tier electrification experiences to customers worldwide.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-12 13:57:25

Hyundai Motor Group to supply 224 hydrogen buses to Guangzhou SEOUL, December 12 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group said Friday that its Chinese fuel-cell unit, HTWO Guangzhou, has won a contract to supply hydrogen-powered city buses to Guangzhou State-owned Bus Group, marking the largest single hydrogen bus procurement project in China to date. Under the project, HTWO Guangzhou will supply 224 buses to the Guangzhou operator. Hyundai said the order represents a significant milestone in its efforts to expand its hydrogen mobility footprint in China. The vehicles are 8.5-meter hydrogen electric buses jointly developed by HTWO Guangzhou and Chinese commercial vehicle maker Kaiwo Group, the company said. The buses are equipped with HTWO Guangzhou’s 90-kilowatt hydrogen fuel-cell system, which offers 64 percent power-generation efficiency — higher than conventional internal combustion engines — and a driving range of up to 576 kilometers under local testing standards. The latest contract follows a separate tender last month, in which HTWO Guangzhou and Kaiwo Group secured the largest share of orders — 25 out of 50 hydrogen buses — from the same public bus operator. An HTWO Guangzhou official said the deployment will reinforce the company’s position in the hydrogen energy sector. As Guangzhou designates hydrogen as a key tool to reduce transport emissions and improve energy efficiency, the project is expected to accelerate the city’s transition to cleaner public transport infrastructure, the official added. * This article, published by Economic Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-12 10:35:49

Korean fried-chicken chain BBQ establishes European headquarters in Spain SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - Genesis BBQ Group said Monday it has established a European headquarters in Spain. The South Korean fried-chicken chain said it formed a partnership with BLT F&B Group, a Spain-based operator with businesses in finance and foodservice across Spanish-speaking markets. BLT manages major restaurant brands including Domino’s Pizza and Applebee’s in the Americas, giving BBQ access to existing operational and supply chain networks. The announcement was made at a launch event held at BBQ’s headquarters in Seoul. The new European base is designed to function as a production and logistics hub, supporting supply chain coordination, faster market entry and product localization. BBQ said the structure will accelerate the rollout of master franchise agreements, flagship stores and localized menu development tailored to national consumer preferences. The company plans to open flagship stores in Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Poland and the Netherlands, with additional expansion targeted at neighboring European markets. Chairman Yoon Hong-geun said Europe represents a “strategic gateway” for the globalization of Korean food and a central pillar of the group’s international ambitions. “We aim to spread the premium value of Korean-style fried chicken across Europe through customized local menus and an advanced logistics network,” Yoon said. * This article, published by Economic Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-08 10:17:25

CJ CheilJedang strikes retail partnership with Thailand's largest store operator SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - CJ CheilJedang has signed a supply agreement with Thailand’s largest retailer, CP Extra. CP Extra operates more than 2,700 outlets under its Makro wholesale chain and Lotus supermarkets, providing CJ CheilJedang with broad access to Thailand’s mainstream retail channels. The partnership will target increased sales of Bibigo fried noodles, kimchi, dumplings, K-street foods and Korean-style sauces. Makro will handle bulk and B2B-oriented products, with the two companies planning joint marketing campaigns and promotional initiatives. CP Extra said it intends to leverage the growing brand recognition of Bibigo to reinforce its K-food category across both Makro and Lotus stores. The companies are also exploring opportunities to extend the collaboration to Malaysia, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian markets where CP Group has operations. “Southeast Asia, with its 690 million population and strong economic potential, is a key market for K-food expansion,” a CJ CheilJedang official said. “Thailand, with its high affinity for K-culture, serves as a strategic gateway to the region.” CJ CheilJedang’s overseas food revenue rose 77 percent from 3.15 trillion won in 2019 to 5.58 trillion won last year. In the first three quarters of this year, overseas sales reached 4.31 trillion won, representing more than half of total food revenue. * This article, published by Economic Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-02 13:50:11

Coupang reports data breach affecting 4,500 customers SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Coupang, South Korea's leading e-commerce giant, said Friday it has detected a data breach affecting 4,500 customers. It informed customers the previous day that unauthorized access to personal information including names, email addresses, and order and delivery details was detected on Tuesday. After discovering the breach, Coupang blocked the access route used by the unknown third party. The company added that there is currently no evidence the stolen data has been misused but is monitoring for any potential harm. Coupang reassured customers that their payment information is secure, but advised them to remain cautious for suspicious messages or calls pretending to be from the company. The incident has been reported to relevant government agencies including the Ministry of Science and ICT. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-21 11:22:10