Spring Has Arrived, but the Special-Purpose Vehicle Plant Remains in Winter

On April 1, a visit was made to the Baekgu Special-Purpose Vehicle Complex in Gimje, North Jeolla Province. Although it was the start of spring, the weather was overcast and bleak. Only the sign standing along the national road remained unchanged, while the scene inside the complex had markedly shifted.Read more, Click here

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A Decade of Technology and Regulation Reshapes the Commercial Vehicle Industry

The year 2016 marked a turning point for the commercial vehicle industry. The introduction of Euro 6 regulations drove a new leap forward in diesel technology and reshaped the landscape of vehicle safety systems. What once merely issued warning alerts has evolved into active driver-assistance technologies. Over the past decade, these changes have quietly transformed the freight transport market.Read more, Click here

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Driving 12 Hours a Day, Still Left With Nothing

In Korea’s freight transport market, there are broadly three ways to find work: securing jobs directly through freight-matching apps, purchasing a vehicle and joining a logistics brokerage firm to receive assigned loads, or working as a company-employed truck driver.Read more, Click here

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Tata Daewoo Launches Another “XEN” Truck - 5-Ton ‘HIXEN’ Unveiled

Tata Daewoo Mobility, a leading commercial vehicle brand in Korea, has officially launched its new truck “HIXEN,” targeting the mid-duty general cargo segment.Read more, Click here

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War-Driven Oil Price Surge Puts Truckers Under Double and Triple Strain

As global oil prices surge again, the burden on the freight transport industry is rapidly increasing. Prolonged fighting in the Russia–Ukraine war, coupled with rising military tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, has pushed diesel prices in Korea above 2,000 won per liter as of late April. The government has responded by expanding fuel price-linked subsidies, but the perceived burden remains high for the freight transport sector, which relies heavily on diesel.Read more, Click here

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“Earnings Down, Costs Up” — 92% of Truckers Say Freight Income Has Declined

As the downturn in the freight transport market drags on, the hardship faced by truck drivers in the field is reaching a critical point. Fuel costs have surged in the wake of conflicts in the Middle East, while freight rates have remained flat or even declined, creating a prolonged “double burden” of falling profitability and rising expenses. Adding to the strain, dissatisfaction is growing over government policies that fail to adequately reflect on-the-ground realities, further heightening a sense of crisis across the industry.Read more, Click here

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540-hp Dump Trucks Hold 60–70% Share Despite Market Swings

Even as the construction downturn has dragged on, the horsepower distribution in the market for large dump trucks of 25.5 tons or more in Korea has remained largely unchanged. Despite fluctuations in overall market size and shifts in the balance between Korean and imported brands, the standard horsepower range centered around 540 hp has consistently remained the backbone of total sales over the past five years.Read more, Click here

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Kia Granbird Discontinuation? Concerns Rise Over ‘Collapse’ in Express Bus Supply

Amid a prolonged supply crunch for long-distance and express buses, concerns are expected to deepen in the transport industry as it has become known that Kia’s flagship Granbird bus may be discontinued without a successor. The express bus market in Korea is currently dominated by Hyundai Motor’s Universe and Kia’s Granbird. However, if one of these two pillars disappears, reduced options are likely to further extend waiting times for new vehicle purchases. Read more, Click here

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Regulation Reshapes the 1-Ton Truck Market...LPG Models Take 80% Share

As part of efforts to align with global automakers’ decarbonization push, the government banned new registrations of diesel delivery vehicles starting in 2023. By the end of that year, one-ton light trucks equipped with LPG powertrains returned to the market for the first time in two decades. Following the launch of LPG trucks, the fuel mix in the one-ton light truck segment has shifted significantly, with LPG models now dominating the market.   Read more, Click here

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Aftermath of the 2016 Dump Truck Boom?... Demand Slumps for a Decade

At a large quarry in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province—one of the biggest of its kind in Korea—rows of heavy dump trucks line up from dawn, engines off, waiting. Despite being a key hub supplying aggregates to nearby construction sites, the site remains unusually quiet. During the boom years, trucks would make five to six trips starting as early as 5 a.m. Now, drivers say it is difficult to complete even two trips even after waiting for half a day. This prolonged slowdown is taking a direct toll on the dump truck market.Read more, Click here

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