Hyundai Motor suffers output losses from cargo truckers' strike

Hyundai Motor Co. said Thursday the ongoing truckers' strike is affecting production at its main domestic plants, which are already suffering from a global chip shortage.

About 6,500 out of 22,000 members of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity began a general strike on Tuesday, demanding the government extend a freight rate system meant to guarantee their basic wages amid soaring diesel prices.

Striking cargo truckers refused to deliver automotive parts to Hyundai's five plants in Ulsan from 2 p.m. Wednesday, causing a disruption of vehicle output due to a lack of auto components.

Hyundai produces about 6,000 units of 17 kinds of vehicles a day at its five plants in Ulsan, an industrial city located about 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The models include the Genesis GV80 SUV and the Hyundai IONIQ 5 all-electric model.

The company didn't provide the number of production losses caused by the truckers' walkout.

Hyundai has seven domestic plants in South Korea and 11 overseas plants -- four in China and one each in the U.S., the Czech Republic, Turkey, Russia, India, Brazil and Indonesia. Their combined capacity reaches 5.65 million vehicles. (Yonhap)