[Jeong Eui-sun's Era Begins] Chairman's Inaugural Remark: "At the End of Innovation Lies the Customer"

Chung Eui-sun, New Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Chung Euisun, Executive Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, was inaugurated as the group chairman on the 14th. With this, Hyundai Motor Group replaced its head for the first time in 20 years and officially launched a third-generation management system.

Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, and Hyundai Mobis held extraordinary board meetings that morning and reported the agenda for appointing Executive Vice Chairman Chung as chairman. Hyundai Motor Group stated that each company's board of directors fully agreed and expressed their support.

Accordingly, the newly appointed Chairman Chung became the undisputed head of the group just 2 years and 1 month after his promotion to Executive Vice Chairman of the group in September 2018, and 7 months after becoming chairman of Hyundai Motor's board in March this year. Chung Mong-koo, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, was appointed Honorary Chairman. ▶Related articles on pages 2 and 3

Chairman Chung presented 'customers' as the foremost focus and 'humanity, future, and sharing' as the direction for group innovation to employees worldwide through a video message without holding a separate inauguration ceremony.

Chairman Chung stated, "Above all, all activities of Hyundai Motor Group must be centered on customers, and we must help customers focus on their original lives." He emphasized, "Listening attentively to the diverse voices of customers and having a heart that communicates and cares must be fundamental." This is interpreted as clearly affirming the necessity of creating new value based on his usual philosophy of respecting customers and customer happiness as his inaugural remarks.

Chairman Chung especially expanded the value of customers to humanity. He said, "We will realize eco-friendly mobility that all customers can easily use for the peaceful and healthy lives and environment of customers," and added, "To ensure safe and free movement for humanity, we will develop the world's most innovative and reliable autonomous driving technology to realize new mobility experiences for customers."

He also stressed new challenges and preparations for this. Chairman Chung said, "We will utilize hydrogen fuel cells, which possess world-class technology, not only in automobiles but also in various fields, establishing them as a future eco-friendly energy solution for humanity." He continued, "We will realize the imagined future faster, such as robotics, Urban Air Mobility (UAM), and smart cities, providing humanity with a higher level of life experience."

Hyundai Motor Group is expected to further promote organizational reform and the realization of a creative and open organizational culture based on horizontal communication and autonomy. Chairman Chung promised, "If all employees at business sites worldwide unite with the mindset of 'pioneers' for the group's growth and the development of the next generation, we can create new opportunities amid crises," and added, "We will foster an organizational culture where communication and autonomy are valued so that employees' valuable capabilities are respected and fully demonstrated."

Chairman Chung also expressed his intention to inherit the achievements and management philosophies of Chung Ju-yung, the founder of the broader Hyundai Group, and Chung Mong-koo, Honorary Chairman who grew Hyundai Motor Group globally. He said, "By inheriting the noble achievements and entrepreneurial spirit of the two, we aim to contribute to the national economy and further to humanity's happiness, creating a new future for the group together with all employees," urging group employees to join in this bold journey toward the future. He added, "There will be difficulties on the journey to open the future, but based on the creative group spirit of 'making the impossible possible,' with a positive mindset, encouraging each other and working together, we can definitely achieve it."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.