Hyundai Motor Halts Asan Plant as Sonata Sales Remain in Slump

Hyundai Motor Co. has temporarily stopped the operations of its Asan plant due to sluggish sales of the Sonata sedan.

Hyundai Motor announced on March 8 that it would suspend the operations of its Asan plant for five days until March 12. The company said it is responding to a decrease in demand flexibly.

The Sonata was once called the people's car in Korea. But its sales remain sluggish. Sales of the sedan fell 32.6 percent on year to 67,440 units in 2020, and the slump continues this year.

The Asan plant stopped operations at the end of 2020 to maintain the inventory of the Sonata at a proper level.