Workers at GM Korea, the South Korean subsidiary of US automaker General Motors, have continued their partial strike action into a second week, after their labour union, which is affiliated with the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, failed to reach an agreement with the automaker on salaries and bonuses.
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Unionised workers downed tools for four hours across all shifts on 21and 22 July, demanding a KRW 149,600 (US$ 100) increase in basic monthly pay, a KRW 30 million (US$ 20,240) annual performance-related bonus per worker, and a firm commitment to introducing new models at the company’s plants.
GM Korea’s global sales rose by 10.5% to 275,523 units in the first six months of 2026, driven mainly by a 12% rise in exports to 270,252 units, mostly to the US, while domestic sales plunged by over 35% to 5,271 units. The company has set a production target of 500,000 vehicles for 2026, up from 462,310 units in 2025, mainly to meet growing overseas demand, particularly in the US.
Earlier this year, GM Korea pledged to invest US$ 600 million to upgrade its local manufacturing operations for the production of next-generation models.
