SEOUL: South Korean automakers saw car exports decline in August amid weak global demand, but they showed strong increase in local car sales, industry data showed Tuesday.
Top carmaker Hyundai Motor sold 318,694 units, including exports and sales of cars assembled in overseas plants, in August, up 2.8 percent from a year earlier. Except for Hyundai, other four carmakers, including Kia, GM Korea, Renault Samsung and Ssangyong, posted a fall in auto exports.
Kia’s exports tumbled 15 percent from a year earlier to 154,242 units in August, and those for Ssangyong and GM Korea plunged 29.4 percent and 28.9 percent each on a yearly basis. Renault Samsung’s exports fell 33.7 percent.
Domestic auto sales showed a bright picture. Hyundai’s local car sales increased 6.1 percent in August from a year earlier due to demand for Avante passenger car that became the most popular model last month.
Kia’s car sales jumped 15.9 percent on popularity of new K5 passenger car and Sorento recreational vehicle model. Renault Samsung’s sales surged 30.8 percent, with those for Ssangyong soaring 45.7 percent. Local car sales by GM Korea amounted to 13,844 units in August, up 16 percent from a year ago and marking the largest monthly figure this year.
