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    Vision and history

    Our vision of the future

    Hyundai Motor Company strives for freedom of movement for all. We invest in mobility services, build strong partnerships with leading providers, and expand our reach beyond the automotive industry. We aim to be a key player in the transition to clean energy and contribute to making hydrogen an accessible and economically viable energy source.

     

    Our vision is progress for humanity

    Humanity unites us and gives us strength. It helps us build relationships, feel a sense of belonging, and enjoy life to the fullest.

    “We are here to do the right things for mankind.”

    Our vision of tomorrow’s mobility is rooted in a deep commitment we feel toward society. We are here to do what’s right and contribute to a better life for all humanity. We focus on people and understand what they truly expect from life—to make the best use of the time they have. Time is the most precious commodity, the only thing money can’t buy. Therefore, it’s not just about how much time we have, but how we spend it. Our goal is to enable everyone to experience their 24 hours as quality and meaningful time, so that every moment holds real value. This is our vision of future mobility: mobility that is not just about moving from point A to point B, but about moments that truly matter.

    We are moving forward

    Behind Hyundai’s success has always stood a strong desire to achieve set goals. With this conviction, we strive for progress under all circumstances. We constantly seek to discover what lies ahead and tirelessly move forward. What was once the desire of one man for a better life has now become the ethos of our entire company. We have come a long way, but we are not yet at the finish line. We keep moving forward.

    Hyundai vision

    Hyundai_iRange_03_i30_HB-small
    Bring a new perspective on cars
    Innovative automotive solutions
    Technology focused on people and ecology

    Technology and service focused on man and the environment

    Our car manufacturing plant will promote the safety and comfort that comes with innovative technologies. In addition, we will continue to implement sustainable management systems through the continuous development of new technologies aimed at increasing energy efficiency.

    We will also extend our services from mere car manufacturing to all things related to cars – including raw materials, auto parts, financing, used cars and recycling. Another key element will be state-of-the-art IT technology that maximizes connectivity with our customers.

    Innovative mobile solutions

    We deliver greater benefit and value to our customers by ensuring cost competitiveness in the global marketplace. From product development to after-sales service, we ensure that every automotive process is consistent with providing maximum customer satisfaction.

    Bringing a new perspective to cars

    We want to expand the concept of the car from the mere means of transport it is now to a new place that connects people to their families, work and society. By transforming the car into a place that people can rely on anywhere, anytime, we will achieve the desired added value to the traditional car.

    History of Hyundai Brand

     

    Beginning of success

    Chung Ju-yung, the founder of Hyundai, came from a small village called Asan, about 50 kilometers north of today’s Demilitarized Zone. As the oldest of seven children, he had to help his family from a young age, working alongside his father for 15 to 16 hours a day. He often recalled, “Even though we worked at full capacity, we often didn’t have enough food.” Yet Chung Ju-yung was an optimist. He fondly remembered waking up early in the morning with enthusiasm and anticipation for what he could accomplish for himself and his family during the day. However, his father’s farm offered no place for his dreams, so as a teenager, he often ran away to Seoul in search of new opportunities.

    He carried stones as a construction worker or loaded and unloaded ships at the port. Although his father always found him and brought him back home, Chung Ju-yung did not give up. He kept trying to run away again and again. After many attempts, his perseverance paid off—within three years, he worked his way up from a messenger to the owner of a thriving rice business in Seoul. However, with the onset of World War II, he had to leave his business. His desire for a better life, however, remained unshaken. He founded an auto repair shop where cars could be fixed five times faster than the competition. This ingenious idea gave rise to a company that transformed into today’s global automobile manufacturer — Hyundai Motor G.

    Courage to go forward even in turbulent times

    “I wanted to help build Korea so my children could live a better life.” Chung Ju-yung.

    In the early 1950s, Korea was at war, the country faced economic and political challenges, and investments were almost unattainable. Despite this, Chung Ju-yung had a clear vision of recovery. The name of his company, Hyundai, means “modern times.” In 1947, he founded Hyundai Civil Works, which transformed into Hyundai Construction Company in 1950. His first major challenge was the reconstruction of the Goryeong Bridge. Although he had no technical education, he succeeded through determination. Hyundai then secured the majority of state contracts for road infrastructure, which later led to the production of Korea’s first car — the Pony model. Chung never sought easy paths. Another challenge was the Soyang Dam. After studying the plans, he boldly proposed a gravel dam instead of the concrete one the experts had planned. They criticized him, but his proposal proved correct. The dam still stands today as a symbol of the solid foundations of Hyundai.

    Have you tried it yet?

    Hyundai was already a strong brand in construction, having built a large part of Korea’s road infrastructure. Yet Chung Ju-yung longed for more — he wanted to expand the business globally. And what better way than shipbuilding? However, Korea had never built a cargo ship before. One engineer even called the entire plan impossible. Chung Ju-yung responded: “How can you know it can’t be done if you haven’t tried it yet?”

    To secure financing, he pulled out a 500 won bill from his wallet, which featured the famous Korean turtle ship — the world’s first ironclad warship from 1592. His determination convinced investors, and in 1972, Hyundai Heavy Industries was established. From that moment, Hyundai adopted the motto: “Have you tried it yet?” — a simple question that continues to drive the entire company forward today.

    A View Beyond the Horizon

    In the 1970s, President Park Chung-hee aimed to breathe new life into the Korean economy. He encouraged Korean companies to expand their businesses into global markets. It comes as no surprise that Hyundai led by example even then. After successful projects in Iran and Bahrain, the company was asked to take on the most monumental and risky project in the Middle East: the Jubail Port. The final round of bidding in Riyadh was intense. After exhaustive high-level negotiations, Hyundai was declared the clear winner. As before, Hyundai won thanks to its unconventional approach. The company dramatically reduced costs and shortened construction time by 8 months by shipping 120,000 tons of materials by sea from Ulsan, Korea, to Saudi Arabia. The Jubail Port project eventually became famous in construction circles as one of the “wonders of the world.” The project’s budget was half of the Korean government’s entire budget for 1976.

    How the dream of a Korean car became a reality

    “If we compare roads to the arteries of our nation, then automobiles are its blood.” — Chung Ju-yung

    Hyundai had already established itself in building roads and bridges. The next logical step was to offer cars that would travel on those roads. Therefore, in 1967, as part of the second wave of Korea’s national renewal project, Chung Ju-yung founded Hyundai Motor Company. Shortly after its founding, HMC hired Sir George Turnbull, former president of British Leyland, who became its vice president. Thanks to Sir Turnbull’s expertise, Hyundai completed the construction of its design center and new assembly plant in Ulsan in half the usual time. The Ulsan assembly plant was built on unused swampy land. While others saw the swamp as an obstacle, Chung Ju-yung saw an opportunity. As Sir Turnbull noted at the time, “Mr. Chung was convinced he could do anything if he focused on it.”

    His vision soon became reality, and Korea’s first mass-produced car, the Pony model, began rolling off the assembly lines, quickly earning the nickname Kuk-min-cha, meaning “national car.”

    Hyundai introduces itself to the world

    “If Korea could succeed in shipbuilding, why shouldn’t it succeed in automobile manufacturing?” — Chung Ju-yung

    Just weeks after launching the new assembly line for the Pony model, Chung Ju-yung announced plans to export five thousand vehicles to overseas markets. Turnbull was shocked because, in his opinion, the cars were not yet ready for international markets. But Chung Ju-yung was confident. Michael Porter, a leading management expert, once said about Chung Ju-yung’s attitude: “His incredible courage is a phenomenon that few Westerners can fully understand, let alone imitate. He is an entrepreneur par excellence…” Between 1972 and 1978, Hyundai Motor Company faced financial difficulties. Despite the adverse situation, Chung Ju-yung decided to build a new car manufacturing plant at a tenth of the usual cost, aiming to sell 300,000 cars on international markets. By 1986, Hyundai not only met this goal against all odds but even surpassed it. HMC’s sales grew to over 400,000 vehicles.

    The Hyundai brand became the best-selling in Korea and prepared for further expansion into international markets. Today, Hyundai Motor Group ranks among the top five largest automobile manufacturers in the world.

    Progress without humanity means nothing

    Chung Ju-yung has always been very interested in the welfare of his countrymen. In 1977, he founded the Asan Foundation to support people in unequal status. He invested half of his stake in Hyundai. Another act, stemming from his desire to help, was the sophisticated “tanker” method. He sank a retired tanker to enlarge the rice field in Sosan. The result was a reclamation project, which is still one of the largest in Korea. Chung Ju-yung has always wanted to enhance his country’s reputation. Therefore, in 1981, he became a member of the committee, which ran for the Olympic Games.

    In the next seven years, he did everything in his power to do so, and even spent a fairly large portion of his wealth to ensure Olympic Games take place in Seoul in 1988. Chung Ju-yung donated many gifts, but one of them stands out: Chung Ju-yung, in his youth, used the money his father had received from selling one cow to escape from his village in North Korea to Seoul. 55 years later, the founder of Hyudai made sure that 1001 cows were sent across the border to North Korea, with one extra cow repaying his father. He did this because if one cow brought him so good, then one could imagine what 1001 cows could do for the people of North Korea.

    Progress knows no limits

    “My parents worked very hard from early morning until late at night, yet they remained poor. I decided to help my family and my fellow countrymen achieve prosperity.” — Chung Ju-yung

    From a young age, Chung Ju-yung held this vision clearly in his mind. The path to realizing this vision took him from a manual laborer to the founder of the Hyundai Group conglomerate. For Chung Ju-yung, there were never any limits. He tirelessly worked to discover new possibilities and continuously showed those around him that “goals without limits” are achievable. In 2019, Hyundai ranked impressively on the Fortune 500 list. But our true success lies in continuously pushing the boundaries in our industry. From a relative newcomer, we have become a leader in the development of alternative powertrains and other fields.

    By the end of Chung’s career, his dream of contributing to his country’s development finally became reality. In 1996, Korea was officially recognized as a developed nation. In record time, it transformed from a little-known country into a member of the advanced world. Koreans began to prosper, and their nation made rapid progress. Today, Hyundai embodies its founder’s philosophy and, with unparalleled courage, strives to continue intensive innovation and development. “My parents worked very hard from early morning to late night, and yet they were still poor. I decided to help my family and my compatriots to prosper. ” Chung Ju-yung, founder of Hyundai Motor Group.

    We are moving forward

    You might be wondering what Hyundai’s next steps will be. Here, we demonstrate that Hyundai knows no boundaries within a single industry and embraces limitless thinking. From building bridges, we moved on to constructing roads, and then to manufacturing ships and automobiles. Alongside the development of our company, we have also contributed to the restoration and growth of Korea.

    From humble beginnings, we have advanced to cutting-edge mobility, embodied by Nexo—the second generation of pioneering hydrogen fuel cell technology from Hyundai. Hyundai’s goal is to produce 500,000 fuel cell vehicles by 2030, ushering in a new era of mobility and paving the way for further progress. We have already come a long way, but we are not at the finish line yet. We keep moving forward.

    © Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech s.r.o.