Seoul: Sales of imported vehicles in South Korea rose 9.9 percent in the first half from a year earlier, driven by strong demand for newly launched models, industry data showed Thursday. The number of newly registered imported cars reached 138,120 units in the January-June period, up from 125,652 a year ago.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the first-half result was boosted by robust sales of new models, such as the Tesla Model Y, Volvo's all-electric EX30 compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), Porsche's all-electric Macan SUV, and Lexus' LX SUV. In a notable development, Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD Co. became an official member of the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA) in March as it seeks to expand its presence in Asia's fourth-largest economy.
BYD began selling passenger vehicles in South Korea in January, starting with the Atto 3 compact SUV. Two additional models -- the midsize Seal sedan and the midsize Sealion 7 SUV -- are scheduled for release later this year.
In June, registrations of imported cars climbed 9.8 percent to 27,779 units from 25,300 a year earlier. The three bestselling models during the month were the Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model Y Long Range, and Mercedes-Benz E200 sedan, the data showed.
Three German automakers -- Volkswagen Group Korea, BMW Group Korea, and Mercedes-Benz Korea -- sold a combined 84,211 vehicles in the first half, up 12 percent from 75,182 units a year earlier. German brands accounted for six out of every 10 imported vehicles sold in South Korea during the six-month period.