Song Hoseong, Kia Motors President Visiting Pyeongtaek Port, Says "We Must Focus Our Capabilities on Thorough Quality Control"

Song Hoseong, President of Kia Motors (center), visited Pyeongtaek Port on the 20th to encourage employees to boost exports and inspect vehicle quality. The photo shows President Song inspecting the quality of the Niro EV at Pyeongtaek Port. Photo by Song Hoseong

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Kia Motors President Song Hoseong visited an export site and urged thorough measures to overcome the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

On the 20th, President Song visited Pyeongtaek Port, carefully inspecting the interior and exterior of export vehicles, as well as the condition of batteries and tires, and urged the staff on site to conduct thorough quality checks.

At this occasion, President Song stated, "It is clear that the COVID-19 situation is a crisis," but added, "All departments of Kia Motors must focus all capabilities on adhering to the basics, improving organizational structure, and taking proactive measures to achieve a new leap forward in the post-COVID era." This was President Song's first visit to Pyeongtaek Port since his inauguration in February.

Kia Motors produces 1.5 million vehicles annually in Korea, exporting more than 60% of them overseas. Pyeongtaek Port is Kia's largest shipping dock, capable of accommodating 7,500 vehicles, exporting to 193 countries worldwide. In April last year, before COVID-19, about 52,000 vehicles were shipped from Pyeongtaek Port, but in April this year, due to decreased overseas demand, the number dropped to 20,400.

Kia Motors plans to secure competitiveness across all sectors including local sales, exports, and production to overcome the crisis caused by the contraction of the overseas automobile market.

First, customized programs that meet customer demands by country are being implemented. Measures are also being taken to restore dealer networks that had suspended operations due to stay-at-home orders and border closures.

Along with this, as interest in contactless sales services increases, efforts to build an online sales platform are accelerating. Kia Motors is developing a pan-European online sales system this year and will launch a pilot service in Germany in the second half of the year.

In the United States, where manufacturers cannot sell cars directly, an online sales platform is being built through dealers. By April this year, 50% of all U.S. dealers had established the platform, with plans to expand to 80% by the end of the year.

Online sales systems are being established and operated in India and Russia, and a system will be set up in China within the first half of the year, aiming to activate sales through online channels.