Hyundai Motor Group, which comprises Hyundai and Kia, announced a substantial investment of $16.7 billion in its South Korean operations, marking a nearly 20% increase from the previous year. The investment is aimed at ensuring future growth for the group amid economic uncertainty and political instability in South Korea. Approximately half of the investment will be allocated to developing next-generation products, with a strong emphasis on electric and hydrogen fuelled vehicles. The remaining half will be dedicated to regular investments such as adjusting production lines for electric vehicles. While the exact crisis referred to by the group was not specified, external risks like recession and global conflicts were highlighted as key concerns. The move comes amidst plummeting consumer confidence in South Korea due to the declaration of martial law and the subsequent impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Additionally, the announcement coincides with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to impose 10% tariffs on all imported goods. Market reaction to the news was positive, with Kia shares rising close to 4% and Hyundai shares increasing by about 1%, outperforming the benchmark Kospi index. Earlier projections suggested that Hyundai and Kia aimed to expand their global sales to nearly 7.4 million units in the current year, following a slight decline in 2024.