WEST POINT, Ga. (AP) -- Kia Motors says it will reopen the
application process for production and maintenance jobs at its new
assembly plant in West Point.

The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer says the South Korean automobile
manufacturer has hired 1,200 employees for the plant, where full
production of the Kia Sorento is expected to begin later this
month. A second production line is planned for early next year.

Most of the workers hired so far came from more than 43,000
applications received last year. The salaries range from more than
$14 an hour to about $27 an hour.

Randy Jackson, a Kia Motors Georgia vice president, says the
pool of potential applicants is much bigger than when applications
were first accepted.

Jackson says Kia will allow those who applied earlier to refresh
their applications.