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(Photo= Yonhap news) |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Sangjin] In September 2023, South Korea's automobile exports reached a record high for the month, totaling $5.5 billion. This marks a 4.9% increase compared to September 2022, surpassing the previous record of $5.2 billion set last year.
The surge in exports was driven by the launch of Kia's new EV3 electric vehicle, the expansion of SUV exports, and the recovery of Korea GM's export performance. The cumulative export value for the year up to September also reached $52.9 billion, a 1.6% increase compared to the same period last year, continuing the trend of record-breaking figures.
Notably, eco-friendly vehicle exports in September amounted to $1.96 billion, a 12.3% increase from the same period last year, marking a return to positive growth after four months. Hybrid vehicles such as the Tucson, Santa Fe, and Carnival made significant contributions, with hybrid vehicle exports reaching $1.01 billion, a 75.6% increase year-on-year.
Domestic automobile production in September reached 307,000 units, a 1.7% increase compared to September 2022. Despite one fewer working day than last year, major automakers expanded production to meet strong overseas demand, marking the first time in three months that monthly production exceeded 300,000 units.
In the domestic market, car sales fell by 2.3% year-on-year to 131,000 units. However, sales of eco-friendly vehicles rose by 37.9% to 59,000 units, with hybrid vehicle sales setting a new monthly record at 46,000 units.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim SangJin(letyou@alphabiz.co.kr)
