S. Korea's auto sales post record high in 2011

South Korea's automobile sales posted a record high last year due to robust demand for locally-made cars from overseas, according to the press release by domestic carmakers. Global car sales by the nation's five automakers, including Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, GM Korea, Renault Samsung Motors and Ssangyong Motor, reached a record high of 7,758,857 vehicles in 2011, up 13.4 percent from a year earlier. Domestic sales edged up 0.5 percent on-year to 1,465,150 units last year, but overseas sales, including cars exported from the country and vehicles assembled in overseas plants, surged 16.9 percent to 6,293,707 vehicles over the cited period. Last year's auto sales were led by top automaker Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors. Hyundai sold a total of 4,051,905 units in 2012, up 12.3 percent from the previous year. Overseas sales expanded 14.2 percent on-year to 3,368,335 units last year, while local sales grew 3.6 percent to 683,570 vehicles. Sales of Kia Motors, affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, stood at 2,539,403 units last year, up 19.2 percent from a year before, with overseas and domestic sales surging 24.3 percent and 1.8 percent each. GM Korea's sales grew 7.6 percent on-year to 808,309 units last year, with those of Renault Samsung Motors and Ssangyong Motor reaching 246,959 units and 112,281 units respectively.