S. Korea to help embassies buy more Hyundai cars

SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. said Tuesday it has signed an
agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to help South Korean
embassies purchase more vehicles from the nation's largest automaker.
The move is aimed at promoting Hyundai's brand awareness worldwide, the South
Korean carmaker said in a statement.
Under the agreement, 109 Korean embassies or consulates will purchase Hyundai's
revamped Equus luxury sedan when they replace their older vehicles, the statement
said, without specifying the amount the government will spend.
"The agreement is expected to significantly help advertise the superiority of
local cars," said a Hyundai official.
In March, Hyundai rolled out the revamped Equus, its top-of-the-line luxury
sedan, to challenge Daimler AG and Toyota Motor Corp.
Hyundai said it plans to sell 13,000 units of the revamped sedan at home this
year and 19,000 units next year.
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