South Korea said on Tuesday it planned to require 374 local companies to meet energy-saving and greenhouse gas reduction targets set by the government.

The government will set the goals for 2012 in discussions with the companies by September 2011, officials of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said by telephone.

The 374 companies including Samsung Electronics Co Ltd produced 361 million metr

Hyundai Motor Group, the world's No. 5 automaker, will go ahead with plans to develop environment-friendly cars despite the segment's low profitability and an industry downturn, a senior executive said on Thursday.

Hyundai Motor Group, the world's No.5 automaker, said on Wednesday it would invest $3.3 billion in green projects to meet the government's stricter fuel efficiency and emission requirements, joining a recent series of eco-friendly investments by South Korean firms.