Explained: Why has Hyundai Motor issued a fresh statement over tweet by its Pak dealer?

Hyundai Motor has issued a statement saying it does not comment on "political or religious issues in any specific region", and that it "deeply regrets" any offence caused to Indians. What is the trigger for its statement?

A Hyundai booth displays the company logo at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, US. (Reuters Photo/File)

After Hyundai India, its parent company Hyundai Motor has issued a statement Tuesday saying that it does not comment on “political or religious issues in any specific region”, and that it “deeply regrets” any offence caused to Indians. The move is a step to further distance itself from a Hyundai dealer in Pakistan who shared a tweet offering solidarity with Kashmir.

Hyundai Motor India on Sunday had issued a statement in which it said that the “unsolicited social media post linking Hyundai Motor India” was “offending” the company’s “unparalleled commitment” to the country.

Hyundai row | India expresses ‘displeasure’, South Korea ‘regrets offence'

What is the trigger for Hyundai’s fresh statement?

The company’s previous statement received widespread backlash on social media and calls to boycott products made by the company started to trend.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi called on the automobile manufacturer to avoid “wishy-washy words” and say “we are unequivocally sorry”. BJP’s foreign policy in-charge, Vijay Chauthaiwale, also asked the carmaker to explain the company’s “global stand on anti-India rhetoric”.

In its new statement, the company said it was “clearly against” its policy that the an independently-owned distributor in Pakistan made “unauthorised” Kashmir-related social media posts from their own accounts. It also said that its Indian subsidiary is not associated with the distributor in Pakistan.

“Once the situation was brought to our attention, we made the distributor acutely aware of the inappropriateness of the action. We have since taken measures to ensure the distributor, which misused the Hyundai brand identity, has removed the social media posts and we have put in place processes to prevent a future recurrence,” the company added.

What is the Hyundai controversy all about?

On February 5, a handle by the name Hyundai Pakistan Official sent out a tweet which called for “remembering the sacrifices” of people in Kashmir and asked for people to stand in support as these people continued to “struggle for freedom”. The same post was also shared on Facebook.

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Both the tweet and the Facebook post were deleted shortly, but not before being picked by social media users who called out the company’s posts marking solidarity with Kashmir. Pakistan observes February 5 as ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ with a view to show its support to the separatist movement of the Union territory.

The company is the second largest carmaker in India, after market leader Maruti Suzuki and is among the top exporters of cars from India. In January 2022, it sold 44,022 units. Overall in 2021, the company had sold 505,033 units in India, up 19.2 per cent on year.

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Soumyarendra Barik

Soumyarendra Barik is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express, specializing in the complex and evolving intersection of technology, policy, and society. With over five years of newsroom experience, he is a key voice in documenting how digital transformations impact the daily lives of Indian citizens. Expertise & Focus Areas Barik’s reporting delves into the regulatory and human aspects of the tech world. His core areas of focus include: The Gig Economy: He extensively covers the rights and working conditions of gig workers in India. Tech Policy & Regulation: Analysis of policy interventions that impact Big Tech companies and the broader digital ecosystem. Digital Rights: Reporting on data privacy, internet freedom, and India's prevalent digital divide. Authoritativeness & On-Ground Reporting: Barik is known for his immersive and data-driven approach to journalism. A notable example of his commitment to authentic storytelling involves him tailing a food delivery worker for over 12 hours. This investigative piece quantified the meager earnings and physical toll involved in the profession, providing a verified, ground-level perspective often missing in tech reporting. Personal Interests Outside of the newsroom, Soumyarendra is a self-confessed nerd about horology (watches), follows Formula 1 racing closely, and is an avid football fan. Find all stories by Soumyarendra Barik here. ... Read More