Car sharing: appealing option among Korean MZers as young drivers shun ownership

The phenomenon indicates a structural shift in how younger generations use cars as economic pressures and tech advancement reshape mobility, analysts say

SK's car-sharing service Socar
SK's car-sharing service Socar
Tae-Ho Lee 3
2025-09-01 16:07:14 thlee@hankyung.com
Automobiles

Owning a decent car was long a status symbol in South Korea, particularly among young people.

Hong Kong-based PEF Affinity Equity to acquire control of Lotte Rental

Hong Kong-based PEF Affinity Equity to acquire control of Lotte Rental

Lotte Rental is Korea's No. 1 car rental and leasing firm Affinity Equity Partners, a Hong Kong-based investment firm, will acquire a controlling stake in South Korea’s No. 1 car rental and leasing company Lotte Rental Co.According to industry sources on Friday, Lotte Group will hold a bo

Socar launches car-sharing service with Naver's generative AI

Socar launches car-sharing service with Naver's generative AI

Socar commercial featuring Chinese actress Tang Wei (Courtesy of Socar) South Korea’s mobility platform operator Socar Inc. has introduced a car-sharing service utilizing generative artificial intelligence in cooperation with the country’s web portal giant Naver Corp. to cement its

Lotte Rental drops plan to enter Korea’s secondhand car sales market

Lotte Rental drops plan to enter Korea’s secondhand car sales market

Lotte Rental CEO Choi Jin-hwan unveils the company's business plans during its CEO IR Day Lotte Rental Co., South Korea’s largest car rental firm, has dropped its plan to enter the domestic used car sales market. Instead, it will strengthen its used car rental and commercial vehicle leasi

Car-sharing platform Humax Mobility begins IPO process

Car-sharing platform Humax Mobility begins IPO process

(Courtesy of Getty Images) Humax Mobility, a South Korean car-sharing and parking platform operator, is aiming to become the second mobility service firm to go public in the country, following Kospi-listed SoCar. The car-sharing platform on Feb. 22 picked KB Securities Co. as the bookrunne

(* comment hide *}