'Secret to 3 million km on a Mercedes-Benz truck? Regular checkups' — and why Star Truck Korea launched a membership program [Interview]

Interview with Dong Geun-tae, CEO of Star Truck Korea

Star Truck Korea launches 'Star Million Club'

Program targets customers with 1 million to 3 million-plus km on the odometer

Benefits include one free annual inspection and discounts on labor and parts

Dong Geun-tae, CEO of Star Truck Korea, introduces the "Star Million Club" membership program for long-haul customers at the company's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, on May 29. [Provided by Star Truck Korea]

"The secret to driving a Mercedes-Benz truck more than 3 million kilometers is regular inspections. That is also why the Star Million Club offers free inspection benefits to support customers on long-haul journeys." — Dong Geun-tae, CEO of Star Truck Korea

In the commercial vehicle market, the ability to operate reliably over the long term has emerged as a key competitive edge, since more days on the road translate directly into greater earnings. Mercedes-Benz trucks have positioned themselves as an imported commercial vehicle brand built for extended operation. Star Truck Korea, the official importer of Mercedes-Benz trucks, launched the "Star Million Club" membership program to support customers in pushing their vehicles to even greater mileage milestones, on top of the vehicles' inherent strengths.

Dong met with reporters at the company's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, on May 29. "A Mercedes-Benz truck can run more than 3 million kilometers with nothing more than regular maintenance," he said. "Through the Star Million Club, we want to provide one free annual inspection and increase the number of customers who achieve ultra-long-haul records."

Promotional image for the Star Truck Korea "Star Million Club" membership program. [Provided by Star Truck Korea]

The Star Million Club is a membership program designed to help customers push for longer mileage records. It operates across four tiers: under 1 million km, 1 million km and above, 2 million km and above, and 3 million km and above. All members receive one free annual inspection for the life of the vehicle, with additional benefits such as discounts on labor and parts depending on their tier. As of Tuesday, roughly 1,000 customers had applied to join.

While preparing the membership program, Dong personally interviewed Kim Rae-hyeong, a driver who has logged more than 3 million kilometers in a Mercedes-Benz truck — a distance equivalent to roughly 75 trips around the Earth. Kim purchased a cargo truck more than 20 years ago and has since been hauling heavy liquids such as bottled water, whiskey and beer between Icheon and Busan.

Dong said the interview yielded not a secret formula but a textbook answer. "I was expecting some special trick, but Kim emphasized the basics: visiting a service center regularly for inspections and using genuine parts," he said.

He added that when customers visit an authorized service center regularly, their maintenance history accumulates in the company's internal system, allowing technicians to identify and resolve problems before a breakdown occurs. "We also want to address the issue of unnecessary repairs, so that customers can keep their vehicles running longer, more affordably and more safely as they go about their livelihoods," he said.

Dong said the program could also help tackle problems caused by the use of non-genuine parts at unauthorized service centers. "Trying to save on repair costs by going to an unofficial center can end up damaging the entire vehicle," he said. "When a problem is identified during a free inspection, we are working to ensure customers can get it fixed at a reasonable price."

Star Truck Korea operates an official parts solution program called "Truck Parts," which supplies parts meeting production and quality standards at relatively competitive prices to vehicle owners whose warranties have expired. The company is also exploring ways to ease the financial burden on customers, including options to pay for maintenance costs in interest-free installments.

The number of customers visiting service centers has grown rapidly since the Star Million Club launched. "After the launch, the number of service center customers increased by about 1,300, bringing the total to around 5,300," Dong said. "Customers whose free warranty period has ended are coming back to authorized service centers."

Teaser image for the upcoming "New Arocs 4153K Single-Reduction Dump." [Provided by Star Truck Korea]

Star Truck Korea will also expand its product lineup with the June 10 launch of the "New Arocs 4153K Single-Reduction Dump," a vehicle targeting the heavy-load dump truck market. The model underwent a three-year validation process at Mercedes-Benz's headquarters in Germany, emerging with enhanced performance for heavy-load operating conditions and improved operational stability.

"We want to deliver clear, tangible benefits to customers through our authorized service centers that reduce their total cost of ownership," Dong said. "Our tractor lineup earned strong customer satisfaction last year, and we are determined to deliver an equally strong customer experience with the new dump truck."

eyre@heraldcorp.com