S.Korea's auto export hits record high in November

South Korea's automotive export hit a new record high last month due to robust demand for eco-friendly vehicles, government data showed Monday.

Car shipment soared 31 percent from a year earlier to 5.4 billion U.S. dollars in November, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

It topped the previous record of 5.14 billion dollars in July, keeping a double-digit increase for the fifth consecutive month.

The number of exported vehicles was 219,489 in November, up 25 percent from a year earlier.

Export for eco-friendly vehicles spiked 20.3 percent to 1.49 billion dollars last month, keeping an upward trend for the 23rd successive month.

Demand for locally-made vehicles from the United States surged 51 percent, and shipment to the European Union grew 6.3 percent.

Automotive sales in the local market gained 8.4 percent from a year earlier to 155,942 units in November, continuing to expand for the fourth straight month.

The number of cars manufactured in local factories advanced 25.4 percent to 379,797 in November, maintaining an upward trend for the seventh consecutive month.