If Hyundai is known here mainly for its cars, the Korean group represents a much wider range of activities in its home country. This is what we call “chaebol” in Korean, a sprawling conglomerate that unites dozens of subsidiary companieswith extremely diverse sectors of activity. Hyundai, Samsung, LG, Daewoo : they began in the 1960s after the Korean War, when the government launched major five-year plans to rebuild the country and revive its economy in various sectors: construction, textiles, transportation, consumer goods, etc. Today, Hyundai Motor Group ranks 3rdd korean chaebol, behind Samsung and SK Group. He is present in construction, steel, automobiles, finance, robotics and defense in particular.
Hyundai and Kia are in service with the South Korean army
In this last sector, Hyundai Rotem controls the construction of military equipment and armored vehicles on behalf of the Korean Army. The role is mainly dedicated to…Kia ! The second South Korean car manufacturer (owned by Hyundai since 1999) has been collecting since 1976 (through its subsidiary Kia Defense) light multipurpose 4X4 (KM131), transport vehicles (K311, KLTV), and even very large heavy rocket launchers (KM1500). On the other hand, for the tanks of the South Korean National Army, this task was entrusted to Hyundai! Thus, Hyundai Rotem locally manufactures an American tank (Chrysler M1) under license: K1 88with which the army has been equipped since 1987. In 2014, it was launched the first 100% Korean tank: the K2 Black Panther.
Another tank from Hyundai
Just nine years later (“peanuts” for a military vehicle), Hyundai Rotem is already revealing its vision of the Korean tank of the future: here is the NG WAV ! Understand “next generation armored armored vehicle”. This concept, which seems straight out of a a post-apocalyptic movie with its modern and refined lines, according to all logic, foreshadows the replacement of the K2 Black Panther with the “K3”. This is a tank with a diesel engine and a 130-mm gun. Two models are planned: one controlled by a driver, and the other, more autonomous, remote control. The manufacturer is still very coy about what will become of this conceptand when it materializes on a production car.
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Source: Auto Plus
Robert is an experienced journalist who has been covering the automobile industry for over a decade. He has a deep understanding of the latest technologies and trends in the industry and is known for his thorough and in-depth reporting.