Hyundai Motor said it will suspend production in South Korea due to coronavirus outbreak which has disrupted the supply of parts, becoming the first major automaker to do so outside of China.
The virus has infected thousands and has killed over 400 people in China.
In China, many international automakers have already extended factory closures in line with government guidelines. Some of these automakers include Hyundai, Tesla, Ford, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault, Nissan and Honda Motor.
“Hyundai and Kia may be more affected as they tend to import more parts from China compared to other global automakers,” stated Lee Hang-koo, senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade.
Most of Hyundai’s factory in South Korea will be entirely idled from February 7, with some production lines expected to resume on February 11 or February 12, a union official stated.
Schedules for suspension will differ by production line, a Hyundai representative stated.
