Why GM's CEO Is Worried About Korea

General Motors CEO Dan Akerson said on Thursday that his company is closely watching the crisis in Korea, has made contingency plans for its employees there, and may consider moving its operations if tensions continue to escalate.

That's a big deal. GM has big operations in South Korea, and they're a critical part of the company's global plan. Some of GM's facilities, including its Korean headquarters, are only about 20 miles from the demilitarized zone that divides North and South Korea.

Any disruption to those operations could be an expensive problem for the General.

A critical hub for GM's global plan
GM doesn't sell a whole lot of cars in South Korea, only about 145,000 last year -- but it's the country's third-largest automaker after giant Hyundai and up-and-coming Kia . GM's five South Korean factories produce nearly 1.5 million vehicles a year, most of which are exported to markets around the world - including the United States.

GM has 17,000 employees in South Korea, and those aren't just manufacturing folks. GM's global design center in Inchon is one of seven major GM design and engineering centers around the world, and plays a significant part in GM's global small-car development. Much of the development work on the well-regarded Chevy Cruze and Sonic small cars was done in Korea.

Long story short, any disruption to those production and design facilities would be an expensive problem for GM. It could also impact other global automakers, including Ford .

The industry's supply chain could be disrupted too
Disruptions to key auto-industry suppliers in the wake of the 2011 Japan tsunami caused headaches for a number of automakers, most especially Toyota and Honda , who saw production of key models grind nearly to a halt for months. Similar problems hit several automakers later that year, when flooding in Thailand led to shortages of electronic components used by many global auto companies.

Some analysts are concerned that a protracted Korean crisis could lead to a similar mess. Key auto-industry suppliers have important production facilities in South Korea, and supply disruptions could leave automakers scrambling for parts once again.

The Detroit News reported Friday that Ford relies on a "couple of dozen" suppliers with South Korean manufacturing facilities, and a Ford spokesman told the News that the company is watching the situation closely.

As Akerson's comments made clear, they aren't the only ones.

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The article Why GM's CEO Is Worried About Korea originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor John Rosevear owns shares of Ford and General Motors. Follow him on Twitter at @jrosevear. The Motley Fool recommends Ford and General Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of Ford. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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