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.