Samsung tests production facility

Samsung tests production facility

SEOUL: South Korean industrial giant, Samsung moved one step closer to realizing its goal to enter the automotive industry with the official opening of its production facility at Pusan.

Samsung will be the fourth Korean carmaker when its first cars go on sale in the domestic market next March.

The company's first car -- code named KPQ -- will be available with 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter engines.

Samsung already has 350 dealers in South Korea and hopes to sell 80,000 cars next year in both the domestic and export markets.

Exports are due to start late next year -- focusing on the Asia-Pacific region -- which will help the company achieve its sales target of 200,000 cars by 2000.