Kumho: Korean tires with Chinese character

It is difficult for the average motorist to understand why tire manufacturers produce their own brands abroad, and tires of foreign countries are produced at their factories? Yes, and there is no need for the "average" to delve into the economy, profitability, logistics, something else there. Give him a quality product at a reasonable price.


And here is the embarrassment: I read about Kumho (I listened to a friend, they advised me at a tire fitting shop, etc.) and bought it. Seeing “Made in…” at home, he was indignant: China again! Is it worth it to panic - let's figure it out together.

About the South Korean brand "Kumho"

The irritation of a motorist who has fallen into an unambiguous situation arises from ignorance of the question: do Koreans even produce their tires in China? Or are all Chinese stingrays under a Korean name fake? We hasten to assure you that they are produced: in the cities of Changchun, Nanjing and Tianjin. Moreover, one of the five Korean research laboratories developing new models of the brand is located in the Middle Kingdom.


Most of the tires under the South Korean brand for Russia are made in China. This is a fact, and it makes drivers nervous. In order to calm the raging "average" to some extent, let's take a brief digression into the history of the Kumho brand for him.

The company owes its creation to the enterprising Mr. Ying-Chun Park. From 1946 to 1960, he experimented with transport companies, transportation, but then settled on the promising tire industry. I was not mistaken: the demand for rubber goods is increasing year by year.

Since the day the business was established, Ying-Chun Park has set a course for the quality and availability of tires: otherwise, the fierce competition in the industry cannot be defeated. The results were not long in coming: after 5 years, the first tires were exported to neighboring Thailand.

Stages of development and achievement of the Kumho brand

The further development of production was triumphant: victories followed records, world recognition followed the growth of consumer demand. The Asian tire was slowly but surely crowding out European and American rubber in the vast market. Behind the backs of Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli and other unshakable authorities, Kumho soon loomed. And by the end of the last century, the Koreans were already on a par with the venerable. First, they got into the top twenty of the strongest, later - into the top 10 best manufacturers.

To have such success, you need to expand the range, work on quality, build new workshops and research centers. In the 70s, motorists received Marshal tires developed at the European Technical Center. At the same time, the company achieved a certificate giving the right to manufacture goods for military aircraft, and received an order from the US Air Force. It was a breakthrough, a step to a higher level.

The main consumer of tire products remained a huge sector of passenger cars, but there were also buses, light and heavy trucks, special equipment and agricultural vehicles, and recreational vehicles.


The following achievements appeared in the Kumho asset:

✅ A tire that can run for some time after a puncture
✅ Colored tire that emits red smoke when braking hard
✅ Aromatic tire made of highly functional chemical fibers
✅ All certificates of quality and environmental friendliness of the product existing in the world
✅ Win the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans on your own tires
✅ Contracts with Mercedes-Benz and other major automakers for the supply of rubber for original equipment

The company produces 36 million tires annually. World motorsport receives one-fourth of its tires from South Korea.

But back to Chinese production. What changes the fact that Kumho are made in China? Theoretically, nothing. Indeed, according to international rules, an exporting plant transfers its technologies to foreign production areas (this is the most important thing), trains staff, and changes equipment if the local one does not meet certain requirements. Here the credibility of the company is at stake, so the control is strict.

Cooperation with China

In vast China, with its cheap labor, not only high-quality Kumho tires are produced, but also a lot of counterfeit. The latter is often sold through online stores. And this clever system promises: "We will return to you ...". Well, try to return! We're not saying that all the frustration you've had with the "Kumho Made In..." label is fake. But we will not even try to prove that Korean tires made in China are worse than the original ones.


The picture according to user reviews is not always objective: the same product receives both a lot of negativity (“Enough for 10 thousand km, went in waves”) and jubilant and laudatory responses (“Very strong, impossible to tear, pierce”). Independent sites conduct their own research. An analysis of the reviews shows that rubber “with a Chinese character” scores 4,32 points out of five. Decent result. But what about the aggressive part of the users? In such a difficult situation, we will do what we can: we will tell you about several Kumho models for the summer season.

Kumho Ecsta PS71

Durable, quiet and soft tires are designed for dynamic driving, whether you are the owner of a premium or conventional car. The pattern of the running part is directional asymmetrical, somewhat Spartan, not indulging in a variety of checker shapes.


The drainage system leaves no doubt about its effectiveness. Four deep through channels and many small slots can effectively dry the contact patch, preventing hydroplaning. A compound based on styrene-butadiene rubber, special polymers and a high content of silica contributes to excellent adhesion of the tire to the road.

Kumho KL33

A powerful, beautiful, high-performance tire created for SUVs. The shoulder areas are made up of large elements rounded on the outside that confidently hold the car in corners. In the running part there are three ribs responsible for directional stability.


The drainage system with four channels is highly developed and promises to drain large masses of liquid from the contact patch. A tire with a special composition of the rubber compound endures external physical influences.

Kumho Ecsta KH11

The recipients of the model are passenger cars, which spend most of their time not in garages, but on the tracks. The competitive advantages of the product include a balanced compound: the manufacturer added silicon to the batch, and did not spare silica. The non-directional nature of the tread contributes to a better fit of the tire to the roadway. The special edge protects a disk from damage.


Tire manufacturers paid special attention to drainage from the contact patch. They placed three wide drainage channels on the treadmill, two narrow ones in the side parts and countless multi-directional slots throughout the slope area.

In conclusion, we consider it important to inform you that when developing tires for Russia, the Kumho manufacturer consulted with the Avtodor State Company. In order to better adapt the product to the specific Russian conditions, the Koreans requested information about the condition of roads, climate, and other parameters.

We tried to impartially understand the Chinese "question" of the Korean tire. There were no obvious compromising signs of quality problems. But each driver has his own experience: skeptics are always opposed by fans and even fans of the brand. We hope you will make your own correct opinion, which will help you decide on the question: is it worth buying a “Chinese Korean”?