While it may surprise those who think of German engineering or Japanese reliability first, the fact that South Korea’s auto industry roared to life with over 4 million vehicles produced in 2022, powered by massive plants like Hyundai's Ulsan facility churning out 1.4 million units alone, shows this nation is a relentless and innovative powerhouse on the global stage.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, South Korea's automobile production reached 4,080,905 units, marking a 3.2% increase from 2021.
- Hyundai Motor Company produced 1,860,711 passenger cars in South Korea in 2022.
- Kia Corporation manufactured 1,079,814 vehicles at its domestic plants in 2022.
- South Korea's domestic auto sales reached 1,790,413 units in 2022, up 4.4% from 2021.
- Hyundai Motor sold 678,341 vehicles domestically in 2022.
- Kia Corporation domestic sales were 582,072 units in 2022.
- South Korea exported 3,867,000 vehicles in 2022, up 6.5% YoY.
- Hyundai Motor exports from Korea totaled 1,650,000 units in 2022.
- Kia exports reached 1,200,000 vehicles in 2022.
- South Korea's auto industry employed 950,000 workers directly and indirectly in 2022.
- Hyundai Motor Group employed 120,000 workers in Korea in 2022.
- Kia Corporation had 32,000 domestic employees in 2022.
- Auto industry R&D spending was KRW 20 trillion in 2022.
- Hyundai Motor R&D budget KRW 8.5 trillion in 2022.
- Kia invested KRW 4 trillion in EV tech R&D 2022.
South Korea's auto industry posted strong production, sales, and export growth in 2022.
Employment
- South Korea's auto industry employed 950,000 workers directly and indirectly in 2022.
- Hyundai Motor Group employed 120,000 workers in Korea in 2022.
- Kia Corporation had 32,000 domestic employees in 2022.
- Average wage in Korean auto sector was KRW 85 million annually in 2022.
- Auto parts industry employed 600,000 people in 2022.
- Labor productivity per worker was USD 450,000 in 2022.
- In 2023, total employment grew to 970,000.
- Female workforce share in auto industry was 25% in 2022.
- R&D staff in auto sector numbered 50,000 in 2022.
- Unionized workers in major automakers 70% in 2022.
- Hyundai hired 5,000 new workers in 2023.
- Kia plant workers averaged 2,500 hours/year in 2022.
- Overseas Korean auto employment was 200,000 in 2022.
- Youth employment rate in auto sector 15% under 30 in 2022.
- Training hours per employee 60 hours annually in 2022.
- GM Korea employed 15,000 workers in 2022.
- SsangYong workforce 4,500 in 2022.
- Renault Samsung had 7,000 employees in Busan 2022.
- Turnover rate in auto industry 3.5% in 2022.
- In 2021, employment was 920,000.
- Safety incident rate 0.8 per 100 workers in 2022.
- Part-time workers 10% of total auto employment 2022.
- Engineer ratio 30% of workforce in 2022.
- 2020 employment dipped to 900,000 due to COVID.
- Hyundai suppliers employed 400,000 indirectly in 2022.
- Kia invested KRW 100 billion in employee training 2022.
Employment Interpretation
Behind the gleaming sheet metal of nearly a million Korean jobs lies a high-octane, union-heavy, and intensely productive engine, yet one that's still tuning its balance between long hours, a growing workforce, and a notable lack of gender diversity under the hood.
Exports
- South Korea exported 3,867,000 vehicles in 2022, up 6.5% YoY.
- Hyundai Motor exports from Korea totaled 1,650,000 units in 2022.
- Kia exports reached 1,200,000 vehicles in 2022.
- US was top export market with 1,200,000 Korean vehicles in 2022.
- Europe received 800,000 Korean auto exports in 2022.
- Exports value hit USD 64.5 billion in 2022.
- In 2023, total exports were 4,100,000 units.
- China exports from Korea were 150,000 units in 2022.
- Canada imported 250,000 Korean vehicles in 2022.
- Australia market took 180,000 units in 2022.
- EV exports surged to 300,000 units in 2023.
- Hyundai Sonata exports to US were 200,000 units in 2022.
- Kia Sportage exports hit 400,000 globally from Korea in 2022.
- Middle East exports totaled 250,000 units in 2022.
- Latin America received 100,000 Korean exports in 2022.
- Export share of production was 93.5% in 2022.
- In Q1 2024, exports were 1,050,000 units.
- UK imports of Korean cars were 120,000 units in 2022.
- Southeast Asia exports grew 10% to 200,000 units in 2022.
- Hyundai Tucson exports to Europe 150,000 units in 2022.
- Kia Telluride US exports 100,000 units in 2022.
- 2021 exports were 3,656,000 units.
- Africa market exports 50,000 units from Korea 2022.
- Russia exports dropped to 10,000 units in 2022 due to sanctions.
- 2023 export value reached USD 68 billion.
- New Zealand imported 40,000 Korean vehicles in 2022.
Exports Interpretation
While Korea may not be able to park its entire auto industry on a single lot at home, it has masterfully turned the global map into its showroom floor, with nearly every car it builds finding a driveway overseas, from America's love of Sonatas to Europe's embrace of Tucsons, proving that export isn't just a strategy—it's their default setting.
Production
- In 2022, South Korea's automobile production reached 4,080,905 units, marking a 3.2% increase from 2021.
- Hyundai Motor Company produced 1,860,711 passenger cars in South Korea in 2022.
- Kia Corporation manufactured 1,079,814 vehicles at its domestic plants in 2022.
- Total commercial vehicle production in South Korea was 514,291 units in 2022.
- South Korea's auto production capacity utilization rate was 82.5% in 2023.
- In 2023, Korea produced 3,897,881 passenger cars domestically.
- Hyundai's Ulsan plant produced over 1.4 million vehicles in 2022.
- Kia’s Hwaseong plant output reached 450,000 units in 2022.
- South Korea's bus production totaled 32,418 units in 2022.
- Truck production in Korea hit 481,873 units in 2022.
- In Q1 2024, Korea's auto production was 1,012,384 units.
- Genesis luxury brand production in Korea was 152,000 units in 2023.
- Renault Samsung Motors produced 278,000 vehicles in Busan in 2022.
- SsangYong Motor's Pyeongtaek plant output was 98,000 units in 2022.
- GM Korea produced 512,000 vehicles in Bupyeong in 2022.
- South Korea's EV production reached 200,000 units in 2023.
- Hyundai's Asan plant focused on commercial vehicles produced 120,000 units in 2022.
- Total Korean auto parts production value was KRW 120 trillion in 2022.
- In 2021, Korea produced 4,141,071 vehicles, down 1.6% YoY.
- Hyundai Heavy Industries' engine plant produced 50,000 units for autos in 2022.
- Kia’s Gwangju plant output for commercial vehicles was 85,000 units in 2022.
- South Korea ranked 5th globally in vehicle production with 4.19 million units in 2021.
- In 2023, domestic production of hybrid vehicles was 350,000 units.
- Hyundai Steel supplied 15 million tons of steel for auto production in 2022.
- Total Korean auto assembly lines operated at 95% capacity in peak 2023 months.
- In 2020, production dropped to 3,907,004 units due to COVID.
- Kia EV production in Korea hit 100,000 units in 2023.
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 production exceeded 80,000 units in first year.
- Total 2023 Korean vehicle production was 4,206,000 units.
- Commercial vehicle production share was 12.6% of total in 2022.
Production Interpretation
While Hyundai and Kia continue to lead South Korea's impressively humming auto industry—which is wisely using over 80% of its capacity to flex its fifth-place global ranking with over 4 million vehicles—the real race is now shifting gears toward a future of EVs, hybrids, and commercial vehicles, all built on a mountain of domestic steel.
R&D
- Auto industry R&D spending was KRW 20 trillion in 2022.
- Hyundai Motor R&D budget KRW 8.5 trillion in 2022.
- Kia invested KRW 4 trillion in EV tech R&D 2022.
- Patents filed by Korean auto industry 15,000 in 2022.
- EV battery R&D centers employ 10,000 researchers.
- Autonomous driving tech patents 2,000 from Hyundai 2022.
- Hydrogen fuel cell R&D spending KRW 1 trillion 2022.
- In 2023, R&D intensity 5.2% of sales.
- Kia Design Center developed 10 new models in 2022.
- Hyundai Mobis R&D for smart factory KRW 500 billion.
- Software-defined vehicle R&D doubled to KRW 2 trillion 2022.
- 5G connected car tests completed 100 in 2022.
- Genesis advanced safety patents 500 in 2022.
- Battery tech collaboration with LG Energy Solution produced 600 patents.
- AI for manufacturing R&D KRW 300 billion in 2022.
- Kia EV9 platform E-GMP R&D cost KRW 10 trillion cumulative.
- Hyundai N performance division R&D KRW 200 billion 2022.
- Cybersecurity R&D for vehicles KRW 100 billion 2022.
- 2021 R&D spending KRW 18 trillion.
- Robotics in assembly lines R&D 50 projects 2022.
- Sustainable materials R&D resulted in 300 patents 2022.
- OTA update tech deployed in 1M vehicles from R&D.
- Level 4 autonomy prototype tested 10,000km in 2022.
- Carbon neutral tech R&D KRW 500 billion 2022.
R&D Interpretation
While Hyundai and Kia are betting billions on everything from EV platforms to hydrogen, and filing patents as if they were going out of style, their real R&D story is a determined, full-spectrum sprint to own the future of mobility from the battery pack up to the software stack.
Sales
- South Korea's domestic auto sales reached 1,790,413 units in 2022, up 4.4% from 2021.
- Hyundai Motor sold 678,341 vehicles domestically in 2022.
- Kia Corporation domestic sales were 582,072 units in 2022.
- Imported vehicles sold 312,000 units in Korea in 2022, 17.4% market share.
- Electric vehicle domestic sales hit 112,500 units in 2022.
- SUV sales dominated with 65% of total domestic market in 2022.
- In 2023, total domestic sales were 1,825,000 units.
- Genesis brand sold 57,000 luxury vehicles domestically in 2022.
- Hyundai Tucson was the top-selling model with 120,000 units in 2022.
- Kia Carnival MPV sales reached 95,000 units in Korea 2022.
- Passenger car sales were 1,513,000 units in 2022 domestically.
- Commercial vehicle domestic sales totaled 277,000 units in 2022.
- In Q1 2024, domestic sales were 450,000 units.
- Renault Samsung QM6 sold 45,000 units domestically in 2022.
- SsangYong Rexton sales were 25,000 units in 2022 Korea.
- GM Korea Chevrolet Trailblazer sold 30,000 units in 2022.
- Hybrid vehicle sales grew 25% to 80,000 units in 2022.
- Luxury import brands like BMW sold 72,000 units in 2022.
- Kia EV6 domestic sales were 20,000 units in 2022.
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 sold 30,000 units domestically in 2022.
- Total 2021 domestic sales were 1,715,000 units.
- Market share of Hyundai-Kia was 74.6% in 2022 domestic sales.
- Pickup truck sales increased 15% to 15,000 units in 2022.
- In 2023, EV sales share reached 8% of domestic market.
- Toyota imports sold 50,000 units in Korea 2022.
- Mercedes-Benz sold 65,000 vehicles in Korea 2022.
- 2020 domestic sales dropped to 1,600,000 units due to pandemic.
- Kia Seltos compact SUV sold 110,000 units in 2022.
Sales Interpretation
South Korea's drivers are clearly thinking, "give us all the SUVs and electric cars," as Hyundai and Kia tighten their grip on a market where even luxury brands and pickups are elbowing for a piece of the action.
Sources & References
- Reference 1OICAoica.netVisit source
- Reference 2HYUNDAIhyundai.comVisit source
- Reference 3KIAkia.comVisit source
- Reference 4KAMAkama.or.krVisit source
- Reference 5MARKLINESmarklines.comVisit source
- Reference 6RENAULTSAMSUNGMrenaultsamsungm.co.krVisit source
- Reference 7SSGMssgm.co.krVisit source
- Reference 8GMgm.co.krVisit source
- Reference 9IEAiea.orgVisit source
- Reference 10KAPAkapa.or.krVisit source
- Reference 11HYUNDAIENGINEhyundaiengine.comVisit source
- Reference 12GLOBALglobal.kia.comVisit source
- Reference 13HYUNDAI-STEELhyundai-steel.comVisit source
- Reference 14GENESISgenesis.comVisit source
- Reference 15KAIDAkaida.co.krVisit source
- Reference 16MERCEDES-BENZmercedes-benz.co.krVisit source
- Reference 17HYUNDAIUSAhyundaiusa.comVisit source
- Reference 18SMMTsmmt.co.ukVisit source
- Reference 19HYUNDAIhyundai.newsVisit source
- Reference 20MIAmia.org.nzVisit source
- Reference 21MSITmsit.go.krVisit source
- Reference 22KIPOkipo.go.krVisit source
- Reference 23MOBISmobis.co.krVisit source
- Reference 24LGENSOLlgensol.comVisit source
- Reference 25HYUNDAI-Nhyundai-n.comVisit source