Kia awaits COVID-19 tests at 2 domestic plants before deciding on resuming operations

Kia Motors Corp. will decide next week when to resume operations in its two plants in Gwangmyeong, based on the development of COVID-19 cases over the weekend.

Quarantine officials are conducting tests on 151 people who had close contact with the confirmed patients.

There were 13 coronavirus cases traced to the plants, including four family members of the workers.

he automaker halted their operations late Wednesday following the confirmation of COVID-19 cases there days earlier.

The two plants in Gwangmyeong have a combined 6,000 workers and a combined annual capacity of 320,000.

The suspensions are feared to gravely impact production at Kia, which manufactures the K9 sedan, Stinger sports car, and Carnival minivan at one plant in Gwangmyeong, and the Pride subcompact and the Stonic subcompact SUV in the other plant.

Kia operates eight plants in South Korea and seven overseas ones that have a combined capacity of 3.84 million units.