Pyonghwa Motors - Definition and Overview

Pyonghwa Motors is originally a South Korean car importer, which set up a car producing joint-venture with the North Korean Ryonbong General Corp. in Nampo.

Since most North Koreans do not know how to drive nor are financially able to own a car, the cars are aimed at the few foreigners and governmental officials. Pyonghwa plans to export cars to China, Vietnam and South Korea.

Pyonghwa has the exclusive rights to car production, purchase, and sale of used cars in North Korea.

Stockholders

• 70% Pyonghwa Motors (Seoul) (owned by the Unification Church)
• 30% Ryonbong Corp.

Car models

• Hwiparam (휘파람 - Whistle) - based on the Fiat Siena
• Ppeokkugi (뻐꾸기 - Cuckoo) - based on the Fiat Doblo

History

• 1999, April - founded by the Unification Church
• 2000, January - the joint-venture with Ryonbong is announced
• 2002, April - first production line in Nampo was completed and the first Hwiparam was produced

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• List of Korean car makers

External links

• Unification Church (http://www.unification.org/)
• South Korean newspaper article (http://www.rickross.org/reference/unif/unif208.html)
• more recent South Korean newspaper article (http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200401/200401180004.html)
• A Spanish article with a few fotos (http://www.coreadelnorte.host.sk/autos.php)