Hyundai Motor pledged to seek sustainable growth this year with a focus on EVs, robots and flying taxis.

Executive Chair Euisun Chung emphasized that “consistent change is the key to innovation,” and a way to achieve “flawless customer satisfaction” in his New Year’s address.

“The act of stepping out of your comfort zone may seem unsettling at first, but it is proof that you are actually moving in the right direction,” Chung said at Kia AutoLand in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi. “Through consistent innovation, we can achieve sustainable growth. This is a mission that we must realize not only for our customers and company, but for humanity.”

“I urge you to stay competitive by harnessing creativity in all areas of our corporate activity encompassing the quality, safety and cost competitiveness of our products and services.”

Chung pinpointed three areas — electrification, robotics and advanced air mobility — as the company’s priorities for 2024, underscoring the significance of the ceremony’s taking place in Kia’s Gwangmyeong plant.

Kia is set to open an EV facility within the plant in the second quarter of this year, which will be the company’s first ever EV-dedicated factory. The location will produce the brand’s EV3 compact SUV for domestic and international sale.

“The best strategy is earning the full trust of our customers, not quickly following our competitors,” he added. “I urge you to stay competitive by harnessing creativity in all areas of our corporate activity encompassing the quality, safety and cost competitiveness of our products and services.”

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]