South Korean carmakers’ sales rose 4.8 percent last month from a year earlier helped by strong demand for SUVs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, industry data showed Tuesday.

The five carmakers in South Korea – Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Corp., GM Korea Co., Renault Samsung Motors Corp. and SsangYong Motor Co. – sold a combined 544,823 vehicles in February, up from 520,095 units a year ago, according to data from the companies.

Their domestic sales jumped 24 percent to 101,356 units in February from 81,722 a year ago. Overseas sales also climbed 1.2 percent to 443,467 from 438,373 during the same period, the data showed. (Yonhap)