Hyundai to build S. Korea's largest driving center inside Hankook's facility

Hyundai Motor Co will build a driving center in South Korea by 2022, featuring eight test courses that would provide various and dynamic driving experiences.

Thomas Schemera, executive vice president of Hyundai Motor, said that the driving center would become the epicenter of the country's expanding automobile culture with its performance-driving surfaces and topnotch facilities.

The driving center would be located inside the 1.26-square-kilometer tire-testing testing facility being built by Hankook Tire & Technology Co. in Taean.

Hyundai sold 217,510 vehicles in May, plummeting from 358,567 units a year before.

In the first five months of the year, sales dropped 26 percent to 1,288,629 units from 1,748,911 from the same period last year.

The project also serves to enhance the relations between the two companies.

Hyundai had recalled about 43,000 units of its 2015 Genesis premium sedan due to defects in the tires manufactured by Hankook.

Since then, Hyundai Motor Group had reduced its dependence on Hankook and turned to Goodyear, Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone, and Kumho.