Seoul (South Korea)

GM Korea has announced that it will invest USD 300 million in South Korea from next year and prepare to launch a premium brand in the country, as per a report by Pulse, the English service of Maeil Business News Korea.

The company shared the plan at its 2026 Business Strategy Conference, placing the announcement at the center of ongoing worries about weak sales and doubts over its long-term commitment to the Korean market.

GM Korea president and CEO Hector Villarreal said the company will focus on using its Korean plants at full capacity and shape them into a global export base. The factories can make up to 500,000 vehicles a year. Villarreal said the company will build stronger abilities in design, engineering, production and sales.

He said GM Korea will grow its lineup of next-generation internal combustion engine cars and electric cars. He also said the company will add new driving technologies for Korean users. "GM's commitment to Korea remains unchanged, and we are set for the sustainable future, ever before," the report quoted Villarreal.

The announcement came after a year marked by slow domestic sales, asset sales and the closing of several service centres. These issues led to fears that GM might scale down or even leave Korea. By setting out a clear expansion plan, the company aimed to ease these concerns. The report noted that GM Korea said it will use its factories to keep up with strong global demand for SUVs, such as the Chevrolet Trax Crossover, which became a top seller in the U.S. small SUV market last year.

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The company also said it will launch its premium Buick brand in Korea next year, beginning with one model. It plans to expand the GMC pickup and commercial vehicle brand too, growing from the single Sierra model now sold in Korea to four models in total. Korea will then become the only country outside North America where GM offers all four of its brands.