GM’s Korean Operations have once again demonstrated their global market prominence, surpassing 10 million units in cumulative exports of fully assembled vehicles. The company has now exported 10,082,281 units.

GM established its Korean Operations in October 2002. The company reached 1 million exports in 2005 and hit the 5 million milestone in 2011. If exports of local products in the form of complete knock down (CKD) units for assembly abroad were included, the figure would approach 25 million units.

To celebrate the latest milestone, the company held a ceremony today for employees and executives at its Bupyeong plant led by GM’s Korean Operations President and CEO Hector Villarreal.

“Achieving exports of 10 million units is a testament to the dedication of our entire team in Korea, which is committed to ensuring our customers who trust and love our vehicles consistently receive the highest-quality products,” said Villarreal. "In fact, GM accounted for nearly 20% of the nation's total automobile exports in last October. These numbers once again highlight the critical role that Korea is playing as a part of GM’s global growth strategy.”

Over the past 21 years, GM has manufactured a diverse range of vehicles in Korea, addressing evolving preferences and demands from both local and international customers. Its lineup has featured staple models like the Chevrolet Aveo, Spark, Trax, Cruze and Malibu, alongside the current Trax Crossover and Trailblazer.

Domestically produced GM vehicles were exported around the world, primarily to North America (35%) and Western Europe (26%), with the largest export market being the United States, where more than 2.5 million vehicles were sold. The Chevrolet Aveo has been the most exported model, with around 2.21 million units shipped. The Spark and Trax have followed closely, on exports of approximately 1.94 million units and 1.78 million units, respectively.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer and Trax Crossover have contributed exports of 612,000 units and 136,000 units, respectively, ranking seventh and ninth in cumulative exports from GM’s Korean Operations despite their shorter production duration. They have been instrumental in the company’s export success, which has fueled its ongoing growth.

According to Korea Automobile & Mobility Association data, the Trailblazer had sales of 176,123 units in overseas markets from January to October 2023, supported by its sophisticated design and strong market appeal. This put the small SUV at the top of cumulative exports for domestic passenger vehicles for the period.

Even though its global market debut just took place in February 2023, the Trax Crossover rapidly secured the top spot in domestic passenger car exports for four consecutive months from June to September, per the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association. Moreover, since its introduction, cumulative exports by GM’s Korean Operations reached 380,151 units through November, an impressive 84.8% surge from the same period last year.

GM’s target is to manufacture 500,000 units annually in Korea, with a specific emphasis on the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Trax Crossover. The company anticipates furthering its contribution to the Korean economy by optimizing production and exporting these two models in large quantities.

Since the establishment of GM’s Korean Operations, the company has played a substantial role in the country’s economy as Korea’s largest FDI among manufacturing industries. It has created hundreds of thousands of jobs through domestic vehicle production, sales and exports, as well as the design and development of global vehicles. Additionally, GM has actively fostered shared growth within the Korean automotive industry ecosystem by closely collaborating with parts suppliers.

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