Hyundai Motor Group to add new private jet on growing overseas trips

Gulfstream G650ER [Photo provided by Gulfstream]

Hyundai Motor Group is looking to add a second private plane to its fleet as the group’s top executives, including Chair Euisun Chung, have taken turns using one jet when they traveled abroad and will help further expand its global on-site management.

Hyundai Motor Group recently started recruiting a pilot for the new private jet, according to industry sources. The group is accepting applications until July 10 and will select candidates through relevant procedures. The aircraft type specified by in the pilot job opening is the Gulfstream G650ER. The Boeing BBJ 737-7, which Hyundai Motor Group currently owns, has been listed as a backup plane.

Demand for private jets is rising among major companies in South Korea as the number of international business trips by their leaders increases. Overseas trips are on a rise with the end of the pandemic and the heads of Korea’s four major conglomerates - Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, and LG - have been traveling once or twice a month as they often accompany President Yoon Suk Yeol during his visits to foreign countries as part of economic missions.

Hyundai Motor Group has limited pilot qualifications to those with a captain experience at domestic and international airlines and cumulative flight time of at least 7,000 hours, excluding flight time in the rear seat. Flight hours required for new pilots in the local airline industry is 1,000 hours for Korean Air Lines Co. and 300 hours for JejuAir Co.

The group currently has a private helicopter and a private jet. The G650ER has not yet been officially registered with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Chung officially traveled overseas nine times this year, including a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in January and to Vietnam this month. When including private trips, he has traveled abroad at least 10 times in the first half of this year alone.

The four major Korean groups are traveling overseas by either operating their own airliners or chartering Korean Air’s business jets. Korean Air has four jets for its charter business, including the BBJ 737-7, BBJ 787-8, G650ER and Global Express XRS. Samsung Group uses two to three chartered planes, including the Boeing 787-8 that Korean Air acquired last year. SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group, LG Group and Hanwha Group own a total of six private jets, according to the Aviation Technical Information System operated by the Land Ministry. SK has three planes while Hyundai Motor Group, LG, and Hanwha have one each.