Hyundai Motor`s U.S. output nearly halves on economic woes

SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Yonhap) -- Production at Hyundai Motor Co.'s lone U.S. plant fell
by nearly half in November, hit by the worst industry downturn in 25 years in the
world's largest auto market, industry data showed Tuesday.
Hyundai, South Korea's top automaker, built some 11,000 vehicles at its Alabama
plant, compared with the 21,503 vehicles it produced a month ago, according to
data collected by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers' Association.
Hyundai saw its sales in the U.S. plunge about 40 percent from a year ago last
month. The U.S. is Hyundai's largest overseas market.
The automaker idled the Alabama plant last Friday and will suspend operations
until Jan. 4. Analysts say the company has been hit by cooling demand in the U.S.
Officials at Hyundai's public relations team were not immediately available for
comment.
On Tuesday, Hyundai and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. said they had adopted an
"emergency management scheme" at all of their plants to cope with a widening
economic downturn.
The carmakers said they have frozen salaries for office managers and cut combined
sales targets this year by 12.5 percent.
Hyundai and Kia, which dominate the South Korean market, aim to sell a combined
4.2 million vehicles worldwide this year, down from an earlier target of 4.8
million units.
In the first 11 months of this year, Hyundai sold 2.56 million vehicles while Kia
sold 1.28 million vehicles, the two firms said early this month.
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