[CAPTIONS] Irene Galvez (from left), Sales General Manager of Hyundai's Chile dealership; Ha Sang-wook, President of the Korean Association in Chile; and Felipe Saitua, General Manager of Kia's Chile dealership, pose for a photo at a donation ceremony for patrol electric vehicles. Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor and Kia - Seoul Economic Daily Finance News from South Korea[CAPTIONS]
Irene Galvez (from left), Sales General Manager of Hyundai’s Chile dealership; Ha Sang-wook, President of the Korean Association in Chile; and Felipe Saitua, General Manager of Kia’s Chile dealership, pose for a photo at a donation ceremony for patrol electric vehicles. Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor and Kia

Hyundai Motor and Kia will each donate one electric vehicle for patrol use to the Korean Association in Chile.

Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) and Kia (000270.KS) said on the 31st that they will donate an Ioniq 5 and an EV5 to help create a safe living environment and support community development in Chile’s Korean Street area.

The donation of patrol electric vehicles was carried out to create a safe living environment and support community development in the Korean Street area.

The “Korean Street,” located in the Chilean capital of Santiago, is packed with Korean restaurants and shops, drawing many locals on weekends amid the popularity of the Korean Wave. Thanks to the efforts of the Korean community, the street was officially designated as “Korean Street” on the 14th of this month, and even more visitors are expected to come in the future.

Hyundai Motor Group decided to donate the vehicles after learning that local merchants were participating in patrol activities on their own, as the Korean Association had recently faced difficulties securing funding for night patrols. Until now, the Korean Association in Chile had operated night patrols of the “Korean Street” through a private security firm based on donations from the Korean community.

This donation of patrol electric vehicles goes beyond simple vehicle support. It carries the significance of a Korean company helping to solve the real difficulties of the local Korean community, strengthening ties between companies in the homeland and the overseas Korean community and supporting local community activities.

In particular, using electric vehicles, which carry relatively low maintenance costs, for patrols is expected to reduce gaps in nighttime security while contributing to stable community operations.

Hyundai Motor Group has carried out various social contribution activities in Chile, communicating with local customers and continuing cooperation with the community. When an earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck Chile in 2010, Hyundai Motor Group provided $200,000 in donations for damage recovery and disaster relief. Hyundai Mobis also helped the affected areas recover quickly by providing mobile repair services for earthquake-damaged vehicles and discounting parts prices.

From 2016 to 2018, Hyundai Motor conducted activities in the Valparaíso region to improve the environment and support children’s education, and converted two Mighty medium-duty trucks into recyclable waste collection vehicles and donated them to the local government. In addition, from 2019 to 2023, it supported the training of specialized personnel in the field of automobile maintenance.

In 2023, Kia renovated an aging park and welfare facility in downtown Santiago into an eco-friendly space. It installed electric vehicle chargers, along with a tennis court, a mini golf course, outdoor benches made from recycled materials, and solar-powered mobile phone chargers for local residents to use.