Nissan Motor plans to end technology transfers to South Korea’s fifth-largest carmaker, Renault Samsung Motors, after 2005, Reuters reported, citing the Nihon Keizai newspaper.


The report said Nissan, Japan’s third-largest carmaker and owned 44.4% by Renault, hopes to avoid overlapping product lines in the South Korean market by ending the technology agreement.


A Nissan spokesman told Reuters he could not comment on the company’s plans.


The news agency said Renault Samsung, acquired by Renault in 2000, has built small and midsize cars based on models developed by Nissan since 1995 but will produce vehicles based on Renault models after 2005.