On January 29, South Korea's Hyundai Motor unveiled its financial report, revealing a stark downturn. Owing to the counteractive influence of US tariff policies, which offset the positive effects stemming from the depreciation of the South Korean won, the company's operating profit for the fourth quarter of 2025 took a severe hit, plummeting by 40% year-on-year. This decline was notably steeper than what analysts had projected. Furthermore, this marks the third consecutive quarter in which Hyundai's quarterly profit has experienced a downturn.

In April of the previous year, the United States slapped a 25% tariff on imported automobiles, a rate that was subsequently reduced to 15% in November. Nevertheless, Trump has indicated his intention to escalate tariffs on imported goods, including South Korean automobiles, on the grounds that the trade agreement has not yet come into force.

The automotive conglomerate, comprising Hyundai and Kia, holds the third position globally in terms of sales volume. During the period from October to December in 2025, Hyundai's operating profit stood at 1.7 trillion South Korean won, a stark contrast to the 2.8 trillion South Korean won recorded during the same period in the preceding year.