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GM’s Impala
GM’s Impala

 

The top management and employees of GM Korea are in the middle of a serious conflict over the production of the Impala in Korea.

GM Korea chairman Sergio Rocha had promised earlier to allow the vehicle to be produced in Korea on condition that its domestic sales volume exceeds 10,000 a year, but GM Korea president James Kim recently raised the minimum amount to 30,000.

Under the circumstances, the trade union of the company is criticizing the top management. “These days, the popularity of the Impala is rapidly growing in Korea to the point of the supply falling much short of the demand,” the trade union explained, adding, “The executive members’ upward adjustment of the minimum value implies that they have no will to allow the car to be produced in Korea.”

The Impala made its debut in the Korean market in September last year. In 2015, the sales volume totaled 6,913. At present, the model is imported from GM’s manufacturing facilities in Detroit without exception. The sales volume was no more than 789 in November 2015 due to the supply shortage and as many as approximately 8,000 customers are currently waiting for delivery for the same reason. They are expected to have to wait for at least three months and this has resulted in the cancelation of some of the contracts.

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