Hyundai and Kia face online boycott after being embroiled in Kashmir conflict

South Korean carmakers Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Corp. now face a movement for an online boycott after being embroiled in a territorial dispute.

Several local netizens via social media are calling on boycotting the two carmakers, which have been leading India’s automobile market, under the hashtags ‘#boycotthyundai’ and others.

Nishat Group, Hyundai Motor’s Pakistani partner, and Kia Motors Crossroads-Hyderabad, recently posted a tweet asking followers to “remember and support the sacrifices of our Kashmir brothers.”

The posts appeared on Kashmir Solidarity Day, a national holiday in Pakistan, on Feb. 5.

Kashmir is a source of a decades-old dispute between India and Pakistan, as the two nuclear-armed neighbors control parts of the Himalayan territory but both lay claims to all of it.

While Hyundai Motor does not have an official branch in Pakistan and it was only a local dealership that posted the tweet, the posts have sparked anguish in India with many claiming that Hyundai Motor is ‘supporting Pakistan.’

In response, Hyundai Motor’s India branch posted an official tweet on Sunday, taking down the controversial tweets and sending a strong warning to the dealership in Pakistan.

Hyundai Motor India said it has been committed to the Indian market for more than 25 years now and will continue its efforts towards the betterment of the country as well as its citizens.