Hyundai and Kia overseas plants all open by next week

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors said Thursday all of their overseas plants will be in operation next week amid signs of the coronavirus pandemic passing its peak.

Currently, Kia's plant in Mexico is the only overseas manufacturing facility which is still suspended to manage inventories. Korea's No. 2 carmaker plans to restart production at its Mexican plant on Monday, a company spokesman said over the phone.

"Most of their overseas plants have resumed production at a reduced level, and whether production volumes will return to pre-coronavirus levels largely hinges on demand recovery," he said.

Hyundai restarted its Brazil plant on Wednesday. Last week, Hyundai and Kia resumed operations at their Alabama and Georgia plants, respectively, in the United States.

Hyundai and Kia, which together form the world's fifth-biggest carmaker by sales, suspended most of their overseas production facilities from March. The suspension affected their vehicle sales, particularly in the past two months.

From January to April, Hyundai and Kia sold a combined 1,845,406 vehicles, down 19 percent from 2,268,183 units in the same period of last year.

Hyundai has 10 overseas plants — four in China and one each in the United States, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Russia, India and Brazil — and seven domestic ones — five in Ulsan; one in Asan, South Chungcheong; and one in Jeonju, North Jeolla. Their combined capacity reaches 5.5 million vehicles.

Kia has seven overseas factories — three in China and one each in the United States, Slovakia, Mexico and India — and eight local ones — two in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi; three in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi; and three in Gwangju. Their overall capacity is 3.84 million units.

Yonhap