Hyundai Motor Ulsan Electric Vehicle-Only Factory Groundbreaking Ceremony
The groundbreaking ceremony for the electric vehicle-only plant held on the 13th at Hyundai Motor's Ulsan plant was themed "The Old Future." It captured the series of lives lived from the perspective of employees who worked there, from the challenging conditions over 50 years ago to the current status, and the process of realizing the dreams held by the company members. The company explained that the event was designed as a place to look back on the past and present and to dream about the future to come.
In the video shown at the beginning of the event, Hyundai Group's late founder Chung Ju-yung said, "I am confident that, thanks to the abilities and dedication of excellent people, the day will soon come when Korean cars, our cars, sweep the global market." The content Chung Ju-yung mentioned in his autobiography and memoirs was voiced using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
On the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ulsan EV-exclusive factory, the 'Worker's Room' is set up with personal collections of Ulsan factory employees and old equipment as part of the heritage exhibition. [Photo by Hyundai Motor Group]
What Hyundai emphasized at the groundbreaking ceremony was the mindset when the company first started making cars. While how the cars were made and the hardships overcome during the process are important, the focus was on explaining the background of why they started making cars in the first place. The emphasis was on humanism.
This aligns with the "Progress for Humanity" emphasized by Chairman Chung Eui-sun before and after his inauguration. It means that the company has been thinking about how a car company can contribute to enabling more people to move conveniently and has been striving to solve this. Just as Chung Ju-yung reduced inconveniences in mobility by building highways and making cars in the past, it is expected that future mobility means will help enhance the right to mobility for members of society.
It was clearly stated that Hyundai Motor's Ulsan plant will play an important role in preparing for this future mobility. Toward the end of the event, under the theme "A Door to Another Dream," a door connecting the past and present of the Ulsan plant was opened, conveying the message that it will lead the future electric vehicle era.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by current management including Chairman Chung Eui-sun, former vice chairmen Yoon Yeo-cheol and Kim Ok-jo, and former plant managers such as Yoon Gap-han. Also present was Giorgetto Giugiaro, the head of Italdesign, who designed Hyundai's first independent models including the Pony and Pony Coupe, as well as the Pony Excel, Presto, and Stella. Key political and industry figures also participated, including Kim Doo-gyeom, Mayor of Ulsan Metropolitan City; Jang Young-jin, 1st Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy; National Assembly members Lee Chae-ik, Lee Sang-heon, and Park Sung-min.
To commemorate the groundbreaking ceremony, Hyundai plans to exhibit historical materials that reflect the 50-year history of the Ulsan plant, including a restored Cortina vehicle, the first produced at the Ulsan plant, and the achievements of the late founder Chung Ju-yung. There are also records that offer glimpses into the lives of the plant’s key employees, such as past employees’ pay envelopes, ID cards, and notebooks used for quality control. This exhibition will be open free of charge to the general public starting January next year at the Heritage Hall of the Ulsan plant’s cultural center. A company official said, "We wanted to provide an overview of the history of the Ulsan plant and convey the ambition that the grand dream continues at the Ulsan electric vehicle plant."
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