Korea Daewoo Motor Sales To Expand Imported Car Sales Operations

SEOUL December 16, 2002; Dow Jones reports that Daewoo Motor Sales Corp. , a distributor for GM Daewoo Auto & Technology, plans to expand its imported car sales business by marketing at least two more imported models and improve customer service, the company said Monday.

The car distributor also said it will hire 1,000 more sales employees in 2003 in line with its aim to boost total sales to 200,000 units that year, Kim Kee- ho, a company spokesman told Dow Jones Newswires.

The targeted sales figure for 2003 is more than 10% higher than the 180,000 units estimated for 2002, Kim said.

Daewoo Motor Sales included sales for GM Daewoo, Ssangyong Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. in its 2003 projection.

GM set up GM Daewoo Auto, a joint venture, by taking over major assets of bankrupt Daewoo Motor.

Daewoo Motor Sales is currently selling GM's Saab and Cadillac vehicles in South Korea and plans to sell at least two GM sports utility vehicle models and a passenger car model starting next year, the company said.

All of Daewoo Motor Sales' 13 auto repair shops will provide repair services for imported cars. Currently, only two shops are providing such services, it said.

Daewoo Motor Sales also expects Daewoo vehicle sales to rebound following the introduction of a new model from GM Daewoo in October this year, helping boost the distributor's sales, it said.