South Korea's financial regulator yesterday called on China's Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) to do more to help save its Ssangyong Motor unit after the Korean carmaker was last week forced to file for bankruptcy protection.

The plea came as Ssangyong's union voted in favour of a strike and called on the South Korean government to inject cash into the country's smallest carmaker.

 “The top shareholder, lead creditor and the court should make efforts for Ssangyong's survival,” Rhee Chang-yong, the deputy head of the Financial Services Commission, told a local radio station.

The South Korean government has previously refused to come to the assistance of Ssangyong unless SAIC, which paid about $500m for a 49 per cent stake in Ssangyong in 2004, put in additional capital.

But Mr Rhee said yesterday Seoul was considering aid to ensure job security at Ssangyong as well as its parts makers. He added that the government would decide whether to help Ssangyong after a Korean court had ruled on whether to accept the filing for bankruptcy protection.

The Seoul Central District Court said yesterday it had frozen Ssangyong's debts and obligations for the time being until it made a decision on whether to accept Ssangyong's application for court receivership early next month.

Ssangyong is one of South Korea's first big casualties of the global crisis that has led to a slump in demand for cars. The carmaker has been hit by falling demand for sports utility vehicles and funding difficulties.

SAIC, which last month injected $45m into Ssangyong to provide short-term liquidity, has been reluctant to provide additional support to its Korean unit.

Last week SAIC said that putting Ssangyong into receivership was the best option for the unit. SAIC said then that it would work with all parties to help “normalise” Ssangyong's operations. However, the Chinese carmaker declined to comment further yesterday.

参考译文：

韩国金融监管机构昨日敦促中国上汽集团(SAIC)付出更大努力以帮助挽救其韩国双龙汽车(Ssangyong Motor)部门。上周，该韩国汽车制造商被迫申请进入破产保护程序。

适逢韩方发出这一呼吁之际，双龙的工会投票支持举行罢工，并呼吁韩国政府向该国最小的汽车制造商注资。

 “最大股东、牵头债权人和法庭应当为双龙的生存而付出努力，”韩国金融服务委员会(Financial Services Commission)副主席李昌庸(Rhee Chang-yong)对一家当地广播电台表示。

韩国政府此前拒绝向双龙伸出援手，除非曾在2004年以大约5亿美元购得双龙49%股份的中国上汽集团投入更多资本。

但李昌庸昨日表示，首尔正考虑提供救助，以保障双龙乃至其部件供应商员工的工作岗位。他补充表示，政府将在韩国法院裁定是否接受双龙破产保护申请后，决定是否给予救助。

首尔中心区法院昨日表示，在下月初裁定是否接受双龙的法庭接管申请之前，它已暂时冻结了双龙的各项债务和义务。

双龙是韩国在此次全球经济危机中的首批大型受害者之一，此次危机已导致对汽车的需求大幅下滑。双龙受到运动型多功能车需求下降和筹资困难的打击。

上汽集团上月曾向双龙注资4500万美元，以提供短期流动性，但不愿再向这一韩国部门提供更多支持。

上汽集团上周表示，让双龙进入接管程序，对该部门来说是最佳出路。上汽当时称，它将与所有有关方面合作，帮助实现双龙运营的“正常化”。不过，这家中国汽车制造商昨日拒绝进一步置评。