Kia Appoints Song Min-su as Co-CEO to Boost Manufacturing Growth

South Korean automaker Kia has named its domestic production chief, Song Min-su, as its new co-chief executive officer, adopting a dual-CEO leadership structure alongside President and CEO Song Ho-sung.

The move comes as the company strengthens its manufacturing operations while expanding its electric vehicle and future mobility business.

The appointment was approved by Kia's board on Wednesday and fills the vacancy left by former co-CEO Choi Jun-young, who was transferred by Hyundai Motor Group in May to head the group's newly expanded policy development office, which oversees labor policy and external affairs.

The leadership change reflects Kia's focus on combining business strategy with strong operational leadership.

• Kia appoints Song Min-su as co CEO to strengthen manufacturing leadership
• Kia adopts dual CEO structure to support EV growth and production strategy
• Song Min-su joins Kia leadership as company expands future mobility business

Production Leader Takes on Bigger Role

Song Min-su, born in 1966, currently heads Kia's domestic production division and also serves as the company's chief safety officer. Over the years, he has held several important positions within Kia, including leading the AutoLand Hwaseong manufacturing plant and overseeing labor support, service support and plant administration.

His career has largely been built around factory operations, production safety and labor management, giving him decades of hands-on experience in running manufacturing facilities.

Kia's board said Song's deep understanding of production and plant operations makes him well suited for the role. It expects his leadership to improve production efficiency, strengthen product quality and support stable labor-management relations across the company's domestic operations.

His appointment is also expected to give factory-level operations a stronger voice in management decisions, helping the company improve productivity while maintaining high safety standards.

Leadership Change Supports Future Growth

The new leadership structure comes as Kia continues to expand its presence in electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid vehicles and purpose-built vehicles (PBVs). At the same time, the company is upgrading its manufacturing facilities to support next-generation vehicle production and improve operational efficiency.

Under the dual-CEO model, Song Ho-sung will continue to lead Kia's global business strategy, sales and long-term growth plans, while Song Min-su is expected to focus on manufacturing, production strategy and labor relations.

The appointment comes at a time when Kia is enjoying strong sales momentum. The company sold 1.63 million vehicles worldwide in the first half of the year, a 2.7% increase from the same period last year and the highest first-half sales in its history.

If this momentum continues during the second half of the year, Kia is on track to achieve a fourth consecutive year of record annual sales.

Speaking at the 2026 Busan Mobility Show in June, Song Ho-sung said he expects the company's strong performance to continue, supported by growing demand for electric vehicles, hybrid models and newly launched vehicles.

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With an experienced manufacturing executive now joining the company's top leadership, Kia aims to strengthen its production capabilities while continuing its global expansion and transition toward future mobility.