Kia's union is moving toward its first strike since 2020, raising the risk of wider production disruption across Hyundai Motor Group as Hyundai Motor's own labor action stretches past 60 hours. Working-level talks began the previous day and main negotiations are scheduled over the next two days, with the union treating this week as the effective deadline after 82% of eligible members backed strike action on the 23rd of last month. The union is demanding a monthly base pay increase of ₩149,600, a performance bonus equal to 30% of last year's operating profit, a 4.5-day work week and a retirement age of 65. A prolonged stoppage would come as Hyundai faces pressure from U.S. tariffs, exchange-rate volatility, major second-half vehicle launches and intensifying competition from imported brands, while the Yellow Envelope Law (broader contractor bargaining rules) and software-defined vehicles (cars run by updatable software) are adding to wider labor and restructuring tensions ahead of the Chuseok holiday.