Korea Automotive Journalists sign 4-way MOU to promote classic car culture

The Korea Automotive Journalists Association announced Friday that it is expanding cooperation with the Korea Classic Car Association, COEX and Samsung Fire Mobility Museum to promote classic car culture. The four organizations signed an MOU for the promotion of classic car culture in Korea at COEX Summit Hall in Seoul that day.

The key development in the new agreement is the addition of Samsung Fire Mobility Museum to the cooperative framework that the Korea Classic Car Association, COEX and the Korea Automotive Journalists Association established last year. The partnership now extends to exhibition planning and operations, public outreach, and the museum's heritage car collection, along with its conservation, restoration and academic support expertise.

The signing ceremony was attended by Korea Classic Car Association Chairman Jung Jae-shin, COEX CEO Cho Sang-hyun, Samsung Fire Mobility Museum Deputy Director Hwang Ho-gi and Korea Automotive Journalists Association Chairman Ryu Jong-eun. The four organizations agreed to jointly plan classic car exhibitions and cultural events, build and exchange domestic and international networks, and collaborate on conservation, restoration, research and archival work. Special exhibitions and educational programs using the museum's heritage car collection are also included in the partnership.

Samsung Fire Mobility Museum will provide exhibition content consulting and academic support, drawing on its collection and conservation and restoration expertise. The Korea Classic Car Association will contribute specialized knowledge and infrastructure. COEX will supply venue and operational support along with a public engagement platform, while the Korea Automotive Journalists Association will leverage its automotive media network and communications capabilities to promote the value of classic car culture and support broader public outreach through press coverage.

This year's Seoul Classic Car Show will run for three days from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 at the outdoor lawn plaza at COEX. The event is co-hosted by the Korea Classic Car Association and COEX and organized by Autocar Korea. The second edition of the show will broaden its scope by adding a program for private owners to exhibit their vehicles and an academic forum alongside displays of rare classics, including a 1930s Cord L-29 Cabriolet and a 1950s Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.

The "My Classic Car" program focuses on introducing vehicles that individuals have preserved over many years, sharing privately maintained cars with the public and offering a look at the state of classic car preservation in Korea. The Hyundai Grandeur, marking its 40th anniversary this year, is also a highlight. A "Finding the First-Generation Grandeur" project will showcase vehicles that represent an era in Korea's automotive industry and everyday culture.

An academic forum held ahead of the opening ceremony on Oct. 30 will examine the cultural significance embedded in the evolution of classic car design across different eras. Discussions will cover the preservation of classic cars, the training of specialists, the development of an industry foundation, and the legal, regulatory and policy challenges needed to support those goals.

"This four-way MOU is expected to serve as a milestone in strengthening both the participatory base and expertise of the Seoul Classic Car Show, while raising awareness of the cultural value of classic cars in Korea," a Korea Automotive Journalists Association official said.

Meanwhile, the Korea Automotive Journalists Association recently named the Porsche Cayenne Electric as its Car of the Month for October.

The association's Car of the Year selection committee evaluates new models and partially updated vehicles launched between the first and last day of each month to select its monthly winner.