Sales of imported vehicles in South Korea jumped 17.8 percent in October from a year earlier, a trade association said Wednesday, in the latest sign of the growing popularity of foreign cars in the Asian country.

A total of 14,154 units of foreign-brand cars were sold in October, compared with 12,019 vehicles sold a year ago, according to data compiled by the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.

In the first 10 months of 2013, a total of 130,239 foreign vehicles were sold in the country, up 20.9 percent from the 107,725 units sold in the cited period a year earlier, the association said.

The monthly figure also represents an 11.7 percent increase from September when foreign carmakers sold a total of 12,668 units, according to the data.

BMW topped the list with 2,939 units sold last month, leading Germany’s dominance in the South Korean imported auto market.

Volkswagen followed with 2,890 units, trailed by Mercedes-Benz with 2,238 and Audi with 1,803, according to the association.

Meanwhile, domestic sales by five automakers in South Korea, including Hyundai Motor Co., reached 122,027 units last month, down 1.7 percent from 124,106 units a year ago. (Yonhap News)