General Motors announced on Wednesday that it will introduce its premium brand Buick to the South Korean market, launching the Electra E7 plug-in hybrid SUV as Buick's first model in the country.

GM Korea CEO Hector Villarreal stated that Buick will join Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac in GM's South Korean brand portfolio, as the American automaker seeks to enrich its local premium product offerings.

According to GM Korea, South Korea will become Buick's second market outside North America.

"Buick has over 120 years of global brand heritage, and now it officially joins as the fourth global brand under GM Korea, following Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC," Villarreal said at a media briefing in Seoul. "Each brand has its own unique positioning and strengths, capable of meeting the needs and preferences of different consumers."

The Electra E7 plug-in hybrid SUV, Buick's debut model in South Korea, is equipped with a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine and a 165-kilowatt electric motor.

The automaker says the vehicle features a 31.7-kilowatt-hour battery, offering an electric-only range of up to 126 kilometers. With combined gasoline-electric operation, the total driving range exceeds 1,000 kilometers, sufficient for a round trip from Seoul to Busan without the need for recharging.

The Electra E7 offers three driving modes: pure electric, battery preservation, and intelligent hybrid. It supports DC fast charging, requiring approximately 20 minutes to charge the battery from 30% to 80%.

Buick plans to offer the Electra E7 in four trim levels, priced at approximately 43 million Korean won (equivalent to $31,680) to 54 million Korean won. Sales of the new vehicle will begin in November.