Renault Korea opens flagship showroom in Busan, unveils 'Busan New Tech Center' plan

Renault Korea opened a new flagship showroom in Busan's Dongnae-gu on Thursday and officially announced plans to launch the "Busan New Tech Center" in 2027, the company said Friday.

Named Renault Dongnae, the showroom at 51 Myeongnyun-ro in Dongnae-gu is Renault Korea's second flagship showroom, following Renault Seongsu. The company unveiled the venue under the slogan "Renault — made in Busan, driven in Busan."

The opening ceremony was attended by Renault Korea President Nicolas Paris and other executives and partner company representatives, along with prominent local figures including Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo, Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Yang Jae-saeng and BNK Financial Group Chairman Bin Dae-in.

Renault Korea also made its first official public declaration of the Busan New Tech Center's 2027 launch plan before the ceremony's attendees. The center aims to relocate key future vehicle development functions — including development certification and safety testing — from the company's existing research and development base in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, to Busan, equipping them with state-of-the-art facilities to maximize integration and efficiency with the production process.

"We plan to build an end-to-end automotive production ecosystem in Busan, covering everything from new vehicle testing to the final stage of production," President Paris said. "By combining world-class development and testing capabilities with the craftsmanship of the Busan factory, we will make Busan a hub for future vehicle development."

To that end, Renault Korea plans to invest about 70 billion won ($51.6 million) in facility construction, targeting a first-half 2027 launch for the Busan New Tech Center. The center, to be built within the Busan factory, will integrate 17 key research and development facilities, including a crash test facility, a sled test system and a multipurpose environmental test chamber. The company also plans to work with the city of Busan to establish additional cutting-edge facilities outside the factory to strengthen the region's future vehicle research and development capabilities.

Also on Thursday, Renault Korea signed an industrial finance MOU with BNK Financial Group on cooperation for the regional automotive industry. Under the agreement, the two sides plan to work together to create a virtuous cycle for the Busan regional economy, enhance the competitiveness of the local auto industry and support the sustained growth of regional businesses.

As part of the partnership, the companies plan to expand industrial finance support for Renault Korea's new-car dealerships and maintenance and parts service partners, and to improve automotive financing convenience for local customers, among other areas of cooperation.

Meanwhile, Renault Korea sold 6,556 vehicles in global markets in September. Domestic sales rose 13.1 percent from the previous month to 2,289 units, while exports surged 90.7 percent over the same period to 4,267 units.