SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Auto sales by South Korean carmakers dropped last month on less business days caused by the traditional Chuseok holiday, industry data showed Wednesday.
The number of car sales by five local companies, including Hyundai, Kia, Renault Samsung, GM Korea and Ssangyong, was 112,729 in October in the domestic market, down 11 percent from a year earlier.
It was attributable to the Chuseok holiday, the South Korean version of Thanksgiving Day, which reduced working days by 4.5 days.
Hyundai Motors, the biggest automaker, alone saw a 12.3 percent increase in local car sales with 53,012 units sold here.
Kia Motors, an affiliate to Hyundai, sold 37,521 cars in October in the South Korean market, down 6.3 percent from a year ago.
Local car sales by GM Korea almost halved last month, with those for Ssangyong and Renault Samsung tumbling 21.5 percent and 46.4 percent respectively.
Auto exports also weakened. Car sales by the five manufacturers in the overseas markets reached 577,597 units in October, down 9.8 percent from a year earlier.
