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| Roberto Rempel, president and CEO of GM Korea, speaks during a press conference at the Conrad Seoul hotel, Monday. Courtesy of GM Korea |
By Baek Byung-yeul
General Motors will introduce six new cars and new electric vehicles (EV) and intensify customer services here to get closer to Korean consumers, the CEO of its Korean unit said Monday.
"We are planning to launch six new vehicles in Korea right within the six months," Roberto Rempel, president and CEO of GM Korea, said during a press conference in Seoul. "We also target to launch more vehicles in 2024. These vehicles will reshape customer perception."
The company will soon unveil its new crossover utility vehicle (CUV), the Chevrolet Trax Crossover. The company will produce the new CUVs at its plant in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, and export them to the global market, especially the North American market.
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| Roberto Rempel, third from left, president and CEO of GM Korea, poses with officials of the U.S. carmaker's Korean unit during a press conference at the Conrad Seoul hotel, Monday. Courtesy of GM Korea |
GM is betting big on the Trax Crossover, hoping for the new model to increase the production volume at its plants here. The new model will be launched worldwide in the first quarter, and GM Korea plans to increase the production capacity of its Bupyeong, Changwon and Boryeong plants to half a million cars this year.
In 2022, GM Korea sold 37,237 vehicles in the Korean market, while exporting 227,638 cars to the global market.
GM's three brands ― Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC ― will launch a total of six new models in the Korean market this year as well. With an aim to provide customers with an "authentically American experience," the company will try to position itself as a premium brand here.
To help customers use its service centers more easily, the company is reconstructing its East Seoul Service Center and will expand premium customer experience through the launch of ACDelco, an aftermarket auto parts service company, and its connected car service OnStar.
"We have very exciting things planned for 2023," Rempel said. "I am sure that the foundation has been laid, and based on what we know today we are ready to achieve a business turnaround and growth in 2023."
Prior to the GM Korea CEO's speech, Shilpan Amin, senior vice president of GM and president of GM International, said in a video message that the U.S. car giant will put more effort into meeting the needs of more Korean drivers this year.
"Looking at our business in Korea, we have taken deliberate steps to improve the sustainability of the business, while also doubling down on our focus on customers. We have committed to bringing 10 EVs to the Korea market by 2025, and we remain on track," Amin said.
"This year we will bring to Korean customers our first Ultium-based EV with the Cadillac Lyriq. We are also introducing the GMC brand in Korea this year, and Sierra will be the first vehicle for our customers in Korea to experience GMC."
