Pyeonghwa Motors (Hangul : 평화자동차; Hancha : 平和自動車 – a Korean language word for "peace"), also spelled Pyonghwa, is one of the two car manufacturers and dealers in the North Korean automotive industry, alongside Sungri Motor Plant. Until 2013, it was a joint venture in Nampo between Pyonghwa Motors of Seoul (South Korea), a company owned by Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church, and the North Korean Ryonbong General Corp. The joint venture produced small cars under licence from Fiat and Brilliance China Auto, a pickup truck and an SUV using complete knock down kits from Chinese manufacturer Dandong Shuguang, and a luxury car of SsangYong design. From 2013, the company has been fully owned by the North Korean state.
Erik van Ingen Schenau, author of the book Automobiles Made in North Korea, has estimated the company's total production in 2005 at not more than around 400 units.
History
Pyeonghwa Motors was officially founded by the Unification Church. The venture came during the period of the Sunshine Policy between North and South Korea, when sanctions on the country were not as tough. The venture was announced in 2000.
In 2002, around $55 million was set aside to build the factory, with which the first production line in Nampo was completed and the first Hwiparam was produced. The Premio and Pronto were later introduced in 2004.
In 2009, PM earned about $700,000 from the sale of 650 cars, with $500,000 remitted to South Korea.
Model list
thumb|Pronto GS
{| class="sortable wikitable"
! Model
! Production
! Status
! Body style
! Country of production
|-
| Hwiparam
| 2002 to 2006
| Mass production
| Saloon
| North Korea
|-
| Hwiparam II
| since 2005
| Import
| Saloon
| China
|-
| Hwiparam III
| since 2011
| Import
| Saloon
| China
|-
| Hwiparam 1607
| since 2013
| Import
| Saloon
| China
|-
| Hwiparam 1613
| since 2013
| Import
| Saloon
| China
|-
| Paso 990
| since 2011
| Mass production
| Minivan
| Vietnam
|-
| Ppeokkugi
| 2003 to 2004
| Mass production
| Van
| North Korea
|-
| Ppeokkugi II
| since 2004
| Mass production
| SUV
| North Korea
|-
| Ppeokkugi III
| since 2004
| Mass production
| SUV and Pick-up
| North Korea
|-
| Ppeokkugi 4WD-A
| since 2009
| Mass production
| SUV
| North Korea
|-
| Ppeokkugi 4WD-B
| since 2009
| Mass production
| SUV
| North Korea
|-
| Ppeokkugi 4WD-C
| since 2009
| Mass production
| SUV and Pick-up
| Vietnam
|-
| Premio DX
| 2004 to 2009
| Mass production
| SUV and Pick-up
| Vietnam
|-
| Premio DX II
| since 2009
| Mass production
| SUV and Pick-up
| Vietnam
|-
| Premio MAX
| since 2007
| Mass production
| SUV and Pick-up
| Vietnam
|-
| Pronto DX
| 2004 to 2009
| Mass production
| SUV
| Vietnam
|-
| Pronto GS
| since 2009
| Mass production
| SUV
| Vietnam
|-
| Samchunri
| since 2005
| Import
| Mid-size van
| China
|-
| Zunma
| 2005 to 2006
| Import
| Saloon
| North Korea
|-
| Zunma
| since 2008
| Mass production
| Saloon
| North Korea
|-
|Zunma 1606
|since 2013
|Import
|Saloon
|China
|-
|Zunma 2008
|since 2013
|Import
|Saloon
|China
|}
Hwiparam model range
- Hwiparam I, 2000, based on the Fiat Siena.
- Hwiparam II, 2007, based on the Brilliance Junjie/BS4/M2.
- Hwiparam 1518, based on the Brilliance H330
- Hwiparam 1607, 2013, rebadged first generation Volkswagen Jetta from the Chinese market
- Hwiparam 1610 , based on the Besturn B50
- Hwiparam 1613, 2013, rebadged second generation Volkswagen Jetta from the Chinese market
- Hwiparam 2005, based on the Brilliance BS6
- Hwiparam 2009, based on the Besturn B90
Bbeokgugi model range
- Bbeokgugi (Peokkugi) 1, 2003, based on the Fiat Doblò.
- Bbeokgugi (Peokkugi) 2, 2004, based on the Shuguang SUV 4x2.
Further models and partnerships
In summer 2006, the North Korean government magazine Foreign Trade of the DPRK, which advertises North Korean products, published a photograph of a new luxury car produced by Pyeonghwa, the Junma, which appears to be a rebadged version of the South Korean SsangYong Chairman.
The Junma bears a strong resemblance to SsangYong cars, specifically the Chairman, which are favored by North Korean government officials.
In 2006, Pyeonghwa reached an agreement with Chinese manufacturer Brilliance China Auto to assemble its Jinbei Haise vans, which are based on an old version of the Toyota HiAce.
In 2007, Pyeonghwa introduced Brilliance's Junjie car under the name Hwiparam II. The original Fiat-based Hwiparam has appeared on Pyeonghwa's web site.
In 2009, Pyeonghwa announced a profit on its North Korean operations.
The Premio and Pronto are also sold in Vietnam by Mekong Auto. Both are based on Huanghai vehicles. Mekong Auto has sold Fiat cars in Vietnam since 1995, and this relationship may have led to Pyeonghwa assembling Fiats in North Korea.
Advertising
Pyeonghwa is currently the only company in North Korea to advertise. A series of billboards and TV commercials have been made in an effort to show residents that their country is able to produce products such as motor vehicles. The ads may be aimed primarily at expatriate businessmen in Pyongyang, but Car and Driver magazine suggests that they are actually propaganda aimed at the local population, to make them believe that their country is economically successful.
<gallery>
File:Pyonghwa motors billboard.jpg|Pyonghwa Motors billboard showing the Hwiparam.
File:Pyonghwa Pyongyang.JPG|An advertising board of "Pyeonghwa Motors" in Pyongyang.
</gallery>
See also
- Unification Church and North Korea
References
External links
- Pyongwha brochure (PDF) on the Korean Friendship Association website
- Photos of North Korean vehicles including Pyeonghwa models, compiled by the author of Automobiles Made in North Korea
- Pyeonghwa Motors video advertisement
- Location of Pyeonghwa motors plant in Nampo: