[더인베스터(코리아헤럴드)=안성미기자] 배우 손지창씨가 미국서 테슬라를 상대로 급발진 소송을 진행중인 가운데 전문가들은 손씨가 승소할 가능성이 크다는 의견을 내놨다. 　김필수 대림대학교 자동차학과 교수는 “아직 영상이 공개되지 않아 섣부르게 판단할 순 없지만 사고 요건들만 보면 테슬라 모델X에 기술적 결함 가능성이 있다”며 설명했다.　 일론 머스크 테슬라 CEO가 모델X를 소개하고 있다. (블룸버그)그는 “100% 출력이 가해졌을 때 자동제동장치 (automatic emergency braking)가 해제되는 것은 잘못된 기능”이라고 지적하며 급발진 여부를 떠나 테슬라로서는 상당한 결함이라고 덧붙였다. 　특히 업계에서는 이번 소송이 소비자 권리를 중시하는 미국에서 진행된다는 점에 주목하고 있다. 　한 업계 관계자는 “한국서는 자동차 결함을 운전자가 직접 밝혀야 하지만 미국은 그 책임이 제조사에게 있어 소비자에게 유리하다”며 “원인이 밝혀지지 않더라도 중간에 합의하는 경우가 많다”고

[THE INVESTOR] Hanwha Investment & Securities on Oct. 28 forecast Naver’s rising share price will experience a brief slowdown, but will maintain strong growth on the back of steady earnings in the fourth quarter. The local brokerage predicted Naver’s fourth-quarter operating profit will jump 52 percent on-year to 309 billion won (US$269.69 million), while revenue will rise 22 percent to 1.08 trillion won. Naver's new CEO Hahn Seong-sook“With the launch of new shopping ads next month, sales of mo

[THE INVESTOR] The South Korean Supreme Court on Oct. 27 upheld a lower court ruling that acquitted Cho Seong-jin, CEO of LG Electronics’ home and appliance unit, of intentionally vandalizing Samsung washing machines at a retail store in Berlin.The top court ruled in favor of Cho, saying it found no error in the lower court’s decision. It also found two other LG executives not guilty. LG Electronics' President Cho Seong-jin (center) leaves a court in Seoul on Oct. 27.Three LG executives were ind

[THE INVESTOR] Kia Motors, South Korea’s second largest automaker, on Oct. 27 said it will release Niro hybrid crossover in the US next year, while launching four new models in China. “After our planned launch of the K7 sedan later this year in the US, we will launch the Niro hybrid early next year and focus on marketing there,” said Kia Motors CFO Han Chun-soo in a conference call after the company’s third-quarter earnings report. “As of now, we will focus on managing the inventory. For the lon

[THE INVESTOR] The nation's second largest carmaker Kia Motors said on Oct. 27 it is still gauging its entry into the Indian market, including building a new production plant there.“Nothing has been decided on entering the Indian market,” Han Chun-soo, Kia’s chief financial officer, said during a conference call after the company’s third-quarter earnings report. “We are open to all possibilities and reviewing all different angles.”The carmaker has been seeking to make inroads in India to tap int

[THE INVESTOR] General Motors’ first full electric vehicle Chevrolet Bolt will make its Korean debut in the first half of next year. 　The US auto giant on Oct. 26 announced the plan at the opening day of the Korea Electronics Show where the carmaker unveiled the Bolt EV to the public for the first time here, ahead of the car going on sale in the US later this year. From left are GM Korea CEO James Kim, Lowell Paddock, vice president of product planning and program management of GM International

[THE INVESTOR] German luxury carmaker BMW is recalling 23 vehicle models, including the top-selling 520d, in Korea for faulty emissions-control devices, the Environment Ministry said on Oct. 25. A total of 15,802 vehicles will be recalled. BMW Korea, the local unit, has begun recalling a total of 15,802 vehicles since Oct. 12, offering repairs at its service centers nationwide.The ministry also ordered Kia Motors to issue a recall of its Mohave SUV for failure detected in the on-board diagnostic

[THE INVESTOR]  Lotte Duty Free, the duty-free unit of Lotte Group, is seeking to purchase smaller overseas duty-free businesses to resume its global expansion efforts, local media outlet Money Today reported on Oct. 25. “Lotte Duty Free is exploring to acquire businesses that are valued less than 100 billion won (US$87.93 million). It is also pushing to make inroads in the Asia-Pacific region,” an unnamed Lotte official was quoted as saying.“We are discussing details of the possible acquisition

[THE INVESTOR] Lotte Group on Oct. 25 pledged to invest a fresh 40 trillion won (US$35.16 billion) in the next five years and seek a stock listing of Hotel Lotte that has been stalled due to prosecutors’ investigation into the retail giant’s corruption scandal. The new plans came as Chairman Shin Dong-bin issued a public apology for the group’s series of irregularities. The Lotte chief himself was also indicted on charges of tax evasion, embezzlement and other criminal charges.“Lotte plans to in

[THE INVESTOR] Yello Digital Marketing, the digital marketing unit local mobile app aggregator Yello Mobile, on Oct. 24 said it has received US$15 million investment from Partners For Growth, the private equity arm of US-based SVB Financial Group. With the secured funds, Yello Digital Marketing said it plans to invest in purchasing shares of its affiliates to consolidate control within the group. “Through this investment, we have received high marks on our business model, which combines various

[THE INVESTOR] Hyundai Motor’s flagship compact sedan Avante became the fourth best-selling car among 1,382 models in 2015, selling 913,152 units globally, industry data showed on Oct. 24. Toyota’s Corolla nabbed the top spot selling 1.49 million units, followed by Volkswagen Golf with 950,235 units, and Ford F Series pickup, with 921,785 units, according to data compiled by the Best Selling Cars Blog, which provides statistics on auto sales around the world. Avante, marketed as Elantra in some

[THE INVESTOR] A possible merger between South Korea’s No. 2 container liner Hyundai Merchant Marine and its larger local rival Hanjin Shipping appears to be not so lucrative, as it is expected to create an entity ranking only 38th out of 5,000 global vessel operators, according to data from VesselsValue, a UK-based shipping valuation firm. 　“If HMM & Hanjin merged, they would have a combined fleet value of $2.1 billion,” said Claudia Norrgren, head of public relations at VesselsValue in an emai