S.Korea's Hyundai to open $400 mln car plant in northwest Russia

ST. PETERSBURG, November 16 (RIA Novosti) - South Korean auto giant Hyundai could select a site by the end of the year to build a $400 mln car plant in northwest Russia, authorities in the Leningrad Region said on Thursday.

Hyundai intends to build a plant with capacity of 100,000-200,000 cars per year in the region, which surrounds St. Petersburg.

The South Korean company also plans to build other auto component plants in Russia, requiring additional investment of around $300 million. Both projects will create about 7,000 jobs, the authorities of the Leningrad Region said.

With rapidly rising purchasing power in Russia, foreign auto makers are seeking to expand their presence in the country.

A number of foreign companies, including auto giants U.S.-based Ford Motor Company, Germany's Volkswagen, Japan's Toyota, and France's Renault have either opened or are building plants in Russia.