Hyundai Motor sales up 15.7%

Hyundai Motor sales up 15.7%

SEOUL: South Korea's top automaker, Hyundai Motor Co, said on Friday its exports jumped 22.4 percent to 970,144 units in the first six months to June as its brand image improved in overseas markets.

But domestic sales dropped four percent to 260,785 units as the country's economic slowdown continued, it said. Total sales for the January-June period rose 15.7 percent to 1,230,929 units.

"Our brand image has been improving fast in North America and Europe and other overseas markets, with increasing numbers of consumers appreciating the high quality and competitive prices of our products," a Hyundai Motor spokesman told AFP.

"We expect this trend to continue in coming years."

South Korea's second-largest automaker, Kia Motors Corp, reported a 22 percent rise in sales from a year ago to 647,950 units in the first six months to June. -- AFP