In April this year South Korea's total car output surged by 41.8 percent year on year, reaching 381,940 units, due to the growth in both domestic sales and exports, according to a report released by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA). Meanwhile, year-to-date production rose 41.7 percent year on year, registering 1,356,292 units.
Thanks to the recovery of consumer confidence and the impact of the release of new car models, domestic sales in April increased by 30.3 percent year on year, totaling 123,210 units. Domestic orders for the first four months of 2010 jumped by 34.4 percent to 472,877 units, maintaining their pace of growth.
South Korean car exports in April climbed by 46.4 percent year on year to 248,675 units, attributed to recovering demand in the US, South Korea's largest market, and also in Western Europe, coupled with the fast growth of sales in emerging countries in Latin America and the Middle East. In the January-April period this year, exports surged 38 percent year on year, reaching 836,279 units, maintaining their upward pace.