The headquarters of Hyundai Motor and Kia in southern Seoul / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

By Anna J. Park

In a move to respond proactively to the country's strengthened regulations against industrial accidents, Hyundai Motor and Kia have each created new chief safety officer (CSO) positions within their corporate structures, giving the new executives control over the companies' safety-related initiatives.

Hyundai Motor appointed Lee Dong-seok, the firm's executive vice president, as its first CSO, earlier this week. Lee has been managing the operation of local factories across the nation. His appointment reflects Hyundai Motor's judgment that a key official who takes the final responsibility for factory operations would be appropriate for the CSO position.

Kia appointed Choi Jun-young, the firm's co-CEO and executive vice president, as its first CSO. Choi has particular expertise in personnel matters built up within the firm over many years, until he was promoted to the co-CEO position in 2018. Kia's appointment of a co-CEO as its first CSO shows the company's emphasis on safety management.

The new positions were made in line with the National Assembly's recent passage of The Serious Accidents Punishment Act earlier this month, which went into effect Thursday. The CSOs are regarded as signaling the automotive group's willingness to prioritize preventing any serious industrial accidents.

Along with the CSO appointments, the co-affiliate companies also beefed up the safety-related departments within their corporate structures, adding safety-related officials at factories and research institutes as well as at the headquarters. Hyundai Motor Group, which owns both, also aims to support the safety efforts of its suppliers, with the objective of achieving efficient management and control over any safety matters.