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Sales at GM Daewoo, Ssangyong and Renault-Samsung have soared this year while those of Hyundai Motor have dwindled. Analysts say consumers are turning to rival brands out of aversion to the Hyundai Motor union’s illegal strike last month.

Hyundai Motor sold 201,865 cars at home and abroad in January, down 2.2 percent from the previous year. Sales at Kia Motors, a sister company of Hyundai Motor, grew a mere 0.1 percent to 104,978 units. During the same period, GM Daewoo saw its sales jump 32.9 percent on year to 81,377 units. Sales of Renault-Samsung and Ssangyong increased 35.4 percent and 31.9 percent from the previous year, respectively.

As a result, Hyundai Motor’s domestic market share dropped to 47.6 percent in January this year from 53.7 percent in January last year. Meanwhile, sales of Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors fell 3 percent and 6.2 percent in the U.S. due to the strong won, which makes Korean exports more expensive overseas. In contrast, exports of other carmakers have surged.

Meanwhile, the combined sales of the domestic automakers rose to 413,199 units in January, up 5.6 percent compared to the same period last year.

(englishnews@chosun.com )