Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy smartphones topped the list of brand value in South Korea for the seventh consecutive year as of the third quarter of 2017, a survey showed Tuesday.

Galaxy got 940.98 points out of a possible 1,000 points in the "Top Index" by South Korean market research firms Brandstock. The Samsung brand has retained the top spot since July-September of 2011. 

Naver, South Korea's biggest Internet portal, closely trailed at 931.9 points.

Brandstock attributed Naver's strong performance to the expectations of enhanced transparency of the portal after its recent designation as a big business group by the Fair Trade Commission, which is obliged to disclose more detailed corporate information.

Genesis, the luxury sub-brand of Hyundai Motor Co., came in 29th, down from 24th in the previous quarter.

Hyundai Motor's two other brands, Grandeur and Sonata, also suffered a setback due to plunging sales in recent months in one of the world's leading auto markets China amid Beijing's economic retaliation against South Korea for the deployment of an advanced anti-missile system here despite Beijing's objections.

Grandeur dropped to 97th from 49th the previous quarter, and Sonata fell out of the top 100.

Tesla had the highest ranking among auto brands at 60th, followed by BMW at 68th, Chevrolet Malibu at 80th and SsangYong Motor Co.'s Tivoli SUV at 92nd.

Major apartment brands also witnessed their brand value plummeting due to the government's policy to tighten lending on homes to stem the booming construction industry buttressed by burgeoning household debts.

The ranking of Raemian of Samsung C&T Corp. slipped to 45th from 33rd, and that of Hyundai Engineering and Construction's Hillstate fell to 84th from 77th.

McDonald's ranked 100th, down 41 notches from a quarter earlier amid a hamburger scare in which its undercooked burger patties allegedly caused health problems for some local consumers. (Yonhap)