"Productive Alliance Needed for Africa"... Why Hyundai Motor Group Is Focusing on Africa

Sharing Research Achievements on Africa’s Mobility Industry
with SOAS, University of London

Hyundai Motor Group announced on April 29 that it held a research performance presentation on Africa-related studies on April 28 at its headquarters in Yangjae, Seoul, in collaboration with the Center for Sustainable Structural Transformation (CSST) under the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London.

Kim Sung, President of Strategy Planning at Hyundai Motor Group, is giving a greeting at the 'SOAS CSST Research Performance Presentation'. Hyundai Motor Group

SOAS is one of 17 constituent colleges of the University of London and is a university specialized in research on Asia and Africa. Established in 2024, CSST, under the leadership of renowned scholar Professor Jang Ha-Joon, conducts research on long-term industrial policy and practical tasks for sustainable growth in Africa.

With the establishment of CSST, Hyundai Motor Group has supported research on key elements considered vital for Africa's sustainable growth: supply chains, renewable energy, mineral resources, and infrastructure development. The aim is to explore opportunities for new business entry and business expansion in various fields such as mobility, energy, resources, and construction, based on a deep understanding of the African market.

The presentation, held under the theme "Global Competitiveness and Business Growth Potential of Africa's Mobility Industry," aimed to share research results accumulated over the past two years. The event was attended by CSST co-directors Professor Jang Ha-Joon and Professor Antonio Andreoni, as well as representatives from SOAS, the University of Manchester, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and government and public institutions of South Africa. From Hyundai Motor Group, executives including Kim Sung, President of Strategy Planning, Shin Yongseok, President of HMG Management Research Institute, and Kim Dongwook, Executive Vice President of Strategy Planning, were present.

The presentation broadly addressed key issues in the structural transformation of African industries, including energy transition and green hydrogen, critical minerals and infrastructure development, global supply chain restructuring, African business models, and industrial policy and development finance. Through various presentations and discussion sessions, participants examined the growth potential and challenges of the African economy.

Jang Hachun, Co-Director of SOAS CSST at the University of London, is giving a presentation at the "SOAS CSST Research Outcome Report Meeting." Hyundai Motor Company

Kim Sung, President of Strategy Planning, stated, "Hyundai Motor Group sees the next stage of global sustainable growth in the Global South, especially in Africa," emphasizing, "This research serves as a practical starting point for Hyundai Motor Group to build a long-term partnership with Africa, going beyond academic achievements."

Professor Jang Ha-Joon remarked, "The core of sustainable structural transformation is to coordinate government policy and corporate strategy together with social and environmental objectives," adding, "For Africa's structural transformation, governments, businesses, public institutions, and communities must share mutual responsibility and collaborate under a common vision." He further proposed, "Africa's structural transformation cannot be achieved by a single industry or entity alone; a 'productive alliance' is needed in which governments, businesses, public institutions, and communities share responsibility under a shared vision."

Hyundai Motor Group plans to use this presentation as an opportunity to continue exploring possibilities for mid- to long-term research and collaboration with domestic and international organizations linked to Africa's mobility industry. A Hyundai Motor Group official said, "We will continue our efforts to identify and grow various business opportunities in Africa based on our understanding of the African market and industrial environment."

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