SEOUL, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The sale of cars, made by local automakers, declined in June in South Korea, while foreign luxury car sales rose in the month, a government report showed Friday.
The number of domestic car sales dipped 7 percent over the year to 129,082 units in June, but imported car sales grew 3 percent to 26,642 vehicles, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Car sales by top automaker Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors reduced 3.8 percent and 2.2 percent each, while GM Korea's car sales tumbled 16.8 percent on the shutdown of one of its five factories here.
Sales of cars, manufactured by Ssangyong Motor and Renault Samsung, also dipped last month.
The country's auto exports went down 7.7 percent over the year to 218,874 vehicles in June on weak demand from the United States, the Middle East and Latin American countries.
Auto production in South Korea retreated 12.2 percent to 336,183 units last month on weak domestic car sales and lower exports.
Auto parts export increased 2.5 percent to 2.01 billion U.S. dollars on demand from China.
