Days after a tweet from Hyundai Pakistan’s branch about “remembering the sacrifices” of people in Kashmir and calling for support as they “struggle for freedom”, South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong called External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to express regret for the offense caused to India by the post, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday.
The Indian government reacted strongly, summoning the South Korean envoy and conveying displeasure. The Indian envoy in Seoul also delivered the same message to the South Korean government.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed receiving a call from South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong to discuss the “Hyundai matter”.
Jaishankar tweeted, “Received a call from ROK FM Chung Eui-yong today. Discussed bilateral and multilateral issues as well as the Hyundai matter.”
Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated, “We noticed a social media post on Kashmir Solidarity Day by Hyundai Pakistan. Following the post on Sunday, 6th February 2022, our Ambassador in Seoul contacted Hyundai Headquarters for an explanation. The offensive post was subsequently removed. The Republic of Korea Ambassador was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs on 7th February 2022.”
Bagchi added, “The government’s strong disapproval of the unacceptable social media post by Hyundai Pakistan was communicated, emphasizing India’s territorial integrity as non-negotiable. We expected the company to take necessary action to address these issues appropriately.”
“South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong phoned the External Affairs Minister this morning (Tuesday), expressing regret for the offense caused to the people and Government of India by the social media post,” he said.
He reiterated that India does not comment on political or religious matters and welcomes foreign investments, but expects companies to refrain from false statements regarding sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On February 5, Hyundai Pakistan Official tweeted about “remembering the sacrifices” of people in Kashmir and supporting their struggle for freedom. The tweet was later deleted, but not before gaining attention and criticism on social media. Pakistan observes February 5 as ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’.
Hyundai India and its parent company, Hyundai Motor, released statements distancing themselves from the offensive social media posts and expressing regret for any offense caused. Hyundai Motor India clarified that it does not comment on political or religious issues in specific regions.
Hyundai Motor India also commented on an independently-owned distributor in Pakistan making unauthorized Kashmir-related posts and took measures to remove the posts and prevent future occurrences.
The company, the second largest carmaker in India, faced backlash for the distributor’s actions and reiterated its commitment to the country. Hyundai India is not associated with the distributor in Pakistan, and steps have been taken to address the situation.
In January 2022, Hyundai India sold 44,022 units, and in 2021, a total of 505,033 units were sold in India, marking a 19.2% increase from the previous year.
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