Euisun Chung: "We Must Navigate Labor Relations Wisely... An Opportunity to Take the Lead Globally"

"Autonomous driving, safety comes before speed"
"Robotics, we will quickly overcome trial and error"
"China auto show, there was much to learn"

While domestic companies are experiencing conflicts with labor unions, Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group, argued that if labor-management relations are managed well, it could be an opportunity to move ahead.

Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group, is answering reporters' questions at the Yangjae headquarters on the 14th. Photo by Youngchan Choi

On the 14th, during a meeting with reporters at Hyundai Motor Group's Yangjae headquarters, Chairman Chung said, "The Korean economy has not been a capitalist society for a long time since the Korean War, so I believe we are experiencing various situations," adding, "If we wisely navigate this process, it could be a significant opportunity for us to take a leading position globally."

He continued, "In terms of labor-management relations, we have lived and worked together for a long time, and there have been ups and downs," and added, "Shareholders are important, and so is national development, so we need to consider various factors before making decisions."

When asked about Hyundai Motor Group's robotics business plans, including Atlas, he replied, "With companies like Boston Dynamics and our own Robotics Lab, since we have only been in the automotive sector and robotics is a new field for us, we've experienced some trial and error," adding, "Software is important in this area, so striking the right balance with hardware, as well as the integration of employees' sentiments and culture, is crucial." He went on to say, "We are working to quickly overcome the trial and error and mistakes in areas we're not familiar with, so that we can deliver better results more rapidly."

Regarding the group's autonomous driving strategy, he said, "China and Tesla are moving very quickly, and Waymo is also performing well," and explained, "Since we are going to conduct a pilot test with 200 vehicles in Gwangju, we will be able to make up for any technical shortcomings."

Chairman Chung emphasized, "Safety is the most important factor in autonomous driving, so even if it takes a little longer, we plan to focus more on the internal aspects," adding, "If a problem arises while using autonomous driving functions, customers might not even want to look at them again."

Asked about his impressions of attending last month's auto show in Beijing, China, he said, "I saw and learned a lot. The Chinese people are very passionate and interested in technology, and the government provides substantial support, so everything is moving faster than us," adding, "There are things we can learn, but I also felt that it is important to be both fast and accurate."

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