In the January-June period, domestic and foreign carmakers sold a total of 40,978 environment-friendly vehicles, up from 33,123 units an year earlier, according to data from the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association and the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.

During the same period, overall passenger vehicle sales, including eco-friendly car sales, rose a mere 3.4 percent to 903,449 units, the data showed.

Best-selling models were Hyundai Motor Co.'s Ioniq electric vehicle and gasoline hybrids such as Toyota Motor Co.'s Camry hybrid and Lexus' ES300h sedan.

The demand for EVs and hybrid cars is widely expected to rise further due to stricter rules against diesel-powered cars and customers' growing appetite for cars that emit less pollutants and greenhouse gases.

Moreover, the government is investing more into charging infrastructure to promote electric cars, while offering a sizable subsidy to reduce the burden of purchasing such vehicles. (Yonhap)