Seoul Motor Show 2009 Photo Spread II

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Here are some more photos from the show floor of Seoul Motor Show 2009.  Today, April 3, was the opening day of the show, which is slightly different from press day in that there are more people but less events.  These photos will be a mix of those from press day, April 2, and opening day today.

Scissor girls wait for the beginning of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, when they will pass out scissors to the participants

Things started off, of course, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  In Korea these events usually involve 10 or so dignitaries cutting a small section of an extremely long ribbon.  Before that, there are scissor girls that pass out scissors and white gloves for the dignitaries to use.  Its consistently always the same event.

A marching band, fireworks, and streamers all accompany the snip of seventeen pairs of scissors as the opening ceremony reaches

There were seventeen dignitaries participating in this year's Seoul Motor Show 2009.  Each armed with a pair of scissors and a pair of white gloves, they sliced the ribbon into ribbons.  Then they quickly disappeared into the entrance of the Motor Show to receive their official tour.

Kathleen Stephens, United States ambassador to Korea, tours the Hanli Gong-jo booth.  She paid special attention to the booth because the company is 70 percent owned by Visteon, an American auto parts company

We caught up with one of the ribbon-cutting dignitaries at the Ford booth, Ms. Kathleen Stephens, US Ambassador to Korea.  Ms. Stephens visited the Ford booth and said she would show her undying support for Ford Motor Company.  She was accompanied by Han Seung-soo, the prime minister of Korea.  Mrs. Stephens said: "Ford is the leading automobile company in America, and we will send undying support and sponsorship."  She also said: "As a Ford consumer, and also as the ambassador of the United States, I will be an active Ford sponsor."  She paid special attention to the new Mustang.  Ford Korea President Jung Jae-hee responded to the visit by saying: "I'm very happy and thrilled for the promise of support that Ms. Stephens gave to us today.  With government support and Ford's innovative efforts, we will show all customers how Ford has changed in product quality."

After that visit, Ms. Stephens moved on to the Hanli Gong-jo booth, as pictured above.  The company is majority-owned by Visteon, a US auto-parts company.

Ford's New Mustang model this year was unveiled on press day at the Seoul Motor Show

Ms. Stephens did not have to strain to admire this new Mustang.  The sleek design and slightly retro front make it look like a cross between all the Mustangs that have come before.

Ford had a unique unveiling event at Press Day.  While other car companies simply gave a speech, or hired a girls' band to sing, Ford hired what is probably the only racing girl magician in the world to do a show.  She changed the color of her own dress several times, and then pulled out hundreds of flowers out of a hat, all to promote Green cars.

Ford managed to find the only three racing girls in Korea who are also magicians. She made flowers cascade from an empty hat

They were only beaten by the GM Daewoo hiring of Girls' Generation to promote the New Generation Matiz, which is also called the Chevrolet Beat outside of Korea.

Girls' Generation promotes the GM Daewoo New Generation Matiz with GM Daewoo Auto and Technology President Michael Grimaldi inside