News: Kia highlights "integral" importance of Slovakian operation to its global ambitions

News 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CONTACT: Michael Choo (  mjc@kia.co.kr),
International Communications Manager, Kia Motors Corporation, Tel:
+82-2-3464-6574, Fax: +82-2-3464-6845

 

Kia highlights "integral" importance of Slovakian operation to its global
ambitions

 

-                      - Chairman Mong-Koo Chung emphasizes Kia's commitment
to Zilina plant during visit by Prime Minister Mikulas Dzulinda 

- Construction of plant, with annual capacity of 300,000 units, to be
completed late next year

 

(SEOUL) May 27, 2005 -- Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) today highlighted the
importance of its planned manufacturing plant in Zilina, Slovakia,
describing the facility as "integral" to the company's ongoing global
expansion, during a visit by Slovak Republic Prime Minister Mikulas Dzulinda
to the Republic of Korea.

Prime Minister Dzulinda visited Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group's Namyang R&D
center and toured the design center, powertrain center, crash test facility
and proving ground. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Deputy Finance
Minister, Eva Simkova, and 40 delegates and businessmen from Slovakia. 

 

Mong-Koo Chung, Chairman and CEO of Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, said, "Kia
Motors is already among the world's fastest growing automakers and we are
committed to ensuring that this dramatic growth continues across all
markets. Our plant in the Slovak Republic will be an integral factor in
supporting our global expansion, especially in Europe. "

 

"However, our operations in Zilina would not be possible without the vision
that has been shown by the Slovak government, under the leadership of Prime
Minister Dzulinda, in introducing competitive, market-oriented economic
policies that have supported foreign companies, like Kia Motors, in setting
up in Slovakia," added Mr. Chung.

 

Prime Minister Dzurinda said, "During this visit, I have witnessed the
world-class R&D capabilities and state-of-art technologies of the
Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group. Again, we are delighted to have such an
advanced automaker investing in the Slovak Republic." 

 

The Prime Minister also said that the Kia production facility in Zilina is
expected to greatly contribute to the ongoing development of the Slovakian
economy. He pledged his government's continued support for Kia's operations
in Slovakia.

 

Kia's first-ever European production facility is now under construction
after its ground-breaking ceremony in April last year and is located 203 km
north-east of the capital, Bratislava. Factory buildings are now being built
and assembly lines will be installed at the beginning of July this year.

 

The 1.1 billion Euro assembly plant is the second Kia Motors overseas
production facility, after the company's factory in China, and will have a
production capacity of 300,000 units per annum. The plant will produce new
compact cars and SUVs aimed at the European market.

 

Kia shipped 267,000 vehicles to Europe last year and 425,000 vehicles are
expected to be exported to the same market this year, a whopping 59%
increase. 

 

Editor's note: Export figures include shipments of kits for knock-down
assembly in overseas markets.

 

 

Kia Motors Corporation (
<http://autoway.kia.co.kr/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.kiamotors.com
/> www.kiamotors.com) -- the fastest growing automaker in the world -- was
founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As
part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the
world's premier automotive brands. Kia's 16 manufacturing and assembly
operations in 12 countries produce more than 1.1 million vehicles a year
that are sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers
covering 155 countries. Kia today has over 32,000 employees and annual
revenues of $14 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Tennis
Open and an official worldwide sponsor of the Davis Cup. Kia Motors
Corporation's brand slogan -- "The Power to Surprise" -- represents the
company's global commitment to surpassing customer expectations through
continuous automotive innovation.