From 16 Years of Trust with the Old TGA Tractor to the TGX, “I can’t wait to experience all th..

“The moment I first drove the MAN TGA tractor (sold in Korea from 2006 to 2008), my truck-driving career changed completely. The quietness, the power—it was a whole new world. Now, I can’t wait to experience everything MAN has evolved with OptiView,” said Park Chang-won, 60.   Park drives an average of 800 km per day between the Chungcheong and Gyeonggi regions, transporting polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from Yeosu National Industrial Complex.A veteran with 25 years of trucking experience, he considers MAN trucks his lifelong partner. After purchasing the MAN TGA 430 when MAN officially entered the Korean market in late 2006, he drove 2.67 million km over 16 years without a single accident. Even after replacing it with the MAN TGX 510 in April 2023, his trust in the brand remains unwavering.Read more, Click here

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Eco-Friendly Blind Spot, High-Floor Diesel Buses Account for 79% of the Market

The market for high-floor buses remains heavily reliant on diesel and has been slow to transition to eco-friendly alternatives.Despite the government’s implementation of large-scale green transportation initiatives, progress in shifting the high-floor bus segment toward electric or hydrogen models has been limited. Even as prolonged delivery delays for high-floor diesel buses force buyers to wait up to nearly two years for new vehicles, demand has yet to move toward electric or hydrogen buses, highlighting the slow pace of the market’s green transition.Read more, Click here

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Reports of Safe Freight Rate Violations Surge, but Only 9% Lead to Fines, Raising Questions Over E..

Enforcement under Korea’s Safe Freight Rate System remained extremely limited over the three-year period from 2020 to 2022, raising significant questions about the effectiveness of the policy.   Of the 5,380 violation reports filed during that period, only 486 cases resulted in the imposition of administrative fines.This represents a penalty rate of roughly 9 percent, indicating that only a small share of reported violations led to actual penalties.Read more, Click here

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Korean Brands Gain Share in Medium and Heavy Duty Cargo and Dump Truck Market, Imported Tractors H..

In Korea’s medium and heavy duty truck market this year, Korean brands have increased their market share across key competitive segments.While the overall market has contracted, Korean manufacturers have outperformed imported brands, strengthening their grip on the market.Read more, Click here

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street-cleaning vehicle market Facing Zero-Emission Purchase Mandate requirement, “Transition Is..

The street-cleaning vehicle market, with an annual demand of around 2,300 units, will be subject to a mandatory zero-emission vehicle purchase requirement for public institutions starting next year, covering electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.Medium-duty and larger street-cleaning vehicles built on cargo truck platforms, which account for the majority of vehicles in operation, will not be exempt from the mandate. However, street-cleaning vehicles based on diesel trucks may be purchased on an exceptional basis, as the conditions required for zero-emission alternatives are largely not in place.While the government has provided incentives for zero-emission vehicle purchases since 2024, industry officials point to a significant gap between policy goals and on-the-ground realities.Read more, Click here

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‘Safe Freight Rate System’ Reintroduced, Raising Expectations for Improved Freight Transport C..

The Safe Freight Rate System, often referred to as a minimum wage system in the freight transport industry, will be reintroduced.The system, which legally guarantees minimum freight rates, previously contributed to improved working conditions for truck drivers, income stability, and enhanced road safety.However, after the system expired in 2022 under a sunset clause, intensified rate competition and long driving hours resurfaced in the industry. With the launch of a new government, discussions on reinstating the Safe Freight Rate System gained momentum, ultimately leading to a decision to bring it back.The reinstated system will, as before, be limited to certain cargo categories and operated on a three-year temporary basis, leaving structural limitations in place.As a result, industry officials and experts are emphasizing the need to expand coverage and adopt the system on a permanent basis.Read more, Click here

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Hyundai Motor’s Solati Solidifies Its Dominance in Korea’s LCV Market

With the discontinuation of Renault Korea’s Master imports, the Korean LCV (light commercial vehicle) market has effectively been reshaped into a near-monopoly led by Hyundai Motor’s Solati.Industry officials say the suspension of the Master has directly contributed to rising sales of the Solati.Read more, Click here

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“Korea Is a Strategically Important Market for Allison...We Will Continue Driving New Growth Mom..

“Korea is a market with very stringent evaluations of automobiles. Even in the truck segment, customers expect driving performance that is almost on par with premium passenger cars. This means that both extremely smooth shifting and high performance are demanded at the same time. It is a demanding market, but precisely for that reason, it is a meaningful market for Allison.” Key global Allison executives Alex Schey, Global Director of Marketing and External Communications, and Ryan Milburn, Vice President in charge of Engineering and Technology Development, visited Korea in early last month to attend the Allison Asia-Pacific Regional Leadership Meeting held in Seoul.Read more, Click here

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Hyundai Abandons Electrification of Medium and Heavy Trucks, Hindering Green Transition?

Currently, electrification in Korea’s truck market is limited to light and compact trucks with a payload of 1 ton or less.The market for medium and heavy electric trucks(2 tons and above) remains stalled, because Hyundai, the country’s largest commercial vehicle brand, is holding back on development and government subsidies don’t cover this segment.Read more, Click here

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Promise to Improve Truck Drivers’ Working Conditions Stalls for Second Year

In February 2023, the Korean government announced the “Measures to Normalize the Freight Transport Industry,” highlighting improving truck drivers’ working conditions as one of its four key policies. However, two years later, these improvements have yet to be felt on the ground.At the time, the government promised to stabilize drivers’ incomes and improve working conditions, but the reality is that the treatment of truck drivers remains poor.Read more, Click here

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