Seoul: The Republic of Korea's auto exports rose 7 percent in July from a year earlier to a new record high, driven by strong demand for environment-friendly models, data showed Thursday. The combined value of automobile shipments reached US$6.24 billion last month, setting a new record for any July.

According to Emirates News Agency, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources reported that exports of eco-friendly automobiles maintained solid growth, surging 25.5 percent from a year earlier to $2.59 billion. Outbound shipments to North America and the European Union climbed 18 percent and 23.5 percent, respectively, amounting to $3.25 billion and $880 million.

Domestically, 139,000 vehicles were sold last month, marking a 0.5 percent increase from a year earlier. The number of locally produced cars rose 11.3 percent to 352,000. Six out of 10 vehicles sold in the domestic market were all-electric, gasoline hybrid, or other eco-friendly models.