Daewoo Motors was a South Korean automotive company with a rich and complex history. Established in 1937 as National Motor in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, during the Japanese colonial period, the company underwent several name changes. In 1962, it became Saenara Motor, the first automobile manufacturer in South Korea, assembling models like the Datsun Bluebird PL310. Following South Korea's 1962 Automobile Industry Promotion Policy, Saenara Motor was equipped with modern assembly facilities and began its journey in the automotive industry.

In 1965, Saenara Motor was acquired by Shinjin Industrial, which rebranded it as Shinjin Motors and formed a partnership with Toyota. However, after Toyota's withdrawal in 1972, the company entered into a joint venture with General Motors, which led to another rebranding as GM Korea. By 1976, it was renamed Saehan Motors and began selling models like the Rekord and the Chevrolet 1700.

In the 1990s, Daewoo Motors emerged from the broader Saehan Motors and began acquiring other automotive companies, including SsangYong Motor in 1998. SsangYong’s flagship models, such as the Chairman, were integrated into the Daewoo lineup, though they retained the Daewoo-SsangYong badge in South Korea.

Despite its ambitious expansion, Daewoo Motors faced significant financial difficulties by the late 1990s and early 2000s, culminating in a sale of its automotive division to General Motors in 2002 for $1.2 billion. This transaction made Daewoo Motors a subsidiary of GM. Subsequently, the company was rebranded as GM Korea in 2011, and the Daewoo brand was phased out in favor of Chevrolet.

Additionally, in 2002, Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company was spun off from Daewoo Motors and was later acquired by Tata Motors in 2004, marking another shift in the company’s legacy.