Kia to Start Production at New US Plant As Planned

SEOUL - January 22, 2009: Cheon Jong-woo writing for Reuters reported that Kia Motors Corp, South Korea's No.2 automaker, said on Thursday it planned to start mass production at its first U.S. factory in Georgia from December this year, as scheduled.

"Construction of the Georgia plant is proceeding as scheduled. We will begin mass production from December on as announced," Jason Lee, Kia's chief financial officer, told reporters and analysts after announcing quarterly earnings.

Kia will produce two or three models at the factory, Lee added.

Editing by for Reuters by Jonathan Hopfner