Daewoo announces lay-offs world wide, Polish plans

According to Kim Sung Soo, press spokesman for Korean car manufacturer Daewoo Motor, the company plans to dismiss 6,500 people in its foreign plants in order to curb losses, and has decided that if those subsidiaries are to continue in operation, they will have to craft their own successful survival plans. Around 4,900 people worked at the Warsaw Daewoo-FSO plant in Zeran at the beginning of 2001, and since then the staff has been cut by around 300 employees. " Our plans envisage closing unprofitable plants. For example, the Opole-based plant producing engine parts for Polonez has not been in operation since February 2001. Additionally some factories will be combined," said Daewoo-FSO spokeswoman Krystyna Danilczyk. There are about 15 joint ventures in Poland owned by Daewoo Motor, together employing over 13,000 people. The restructuring plans of those companies, including Zeran, will be approved by Seoul-based banks and Daewoo Motor's creditors. (Prawo I Gospodarka, p. 3) A.Z.