자동차 안사는 30대...가성비 높은 수입차에 지갑 열어

Vehicle purchases by Koreans in their 30s fell last year for the third year in a row.
But the number of imported cars the bought... continued to rise.
For one thing, compared to the past, imports are a lot cheaper now.
Our Kim Da-mi explains.
"South Koreans in their 30s, who in the past were the main car purchasers, are now buying less cars. And a large proportion of the cars they do buy are, like the ones next to me, imported from overseas."
About 265,000 thirty-somethings bought cars last year, and around 57,000 of them chose imported cars.
This means about one out of five people in their 30s favored imported cars, exceeding the 20 percent mark for the first time.
17 percent of the vehicles bought by people in their forties were imported. But foreign brands were less popular with other age groups.
The percentage of imported vehicles purchased by those in their 30s was not only the highest but also showed the fastest growth among all age groups,...up around 17 percent from 2010.
“Unlike in the past, imported vehicles nowadays are available at reasonable, affordable prices with the option of monthly installment payments. Relatively stable financial status further allows people in their 30s to choose imported cars.”
"Speaking as a car dealer in his thirties, I've noticed that customers around my age have just started their own families, which means they are financially stable enough to invest in cars they like."
Japan saw a similar trend in the past, with imported cars making up 13 % of sales in 2013, before falling back down to single digits after local firms improved their repair services.
And experts analyze that sales of domestic brands in South Korea will continue to outstrip sales of imported cars, which will remain at around 20% of the total sales.
South Korea’s domestic car companies will keep developing their own products, satisfying consumers with cost-effectiveness including cheap prices and high-quality repair services.
KIM Da-mi, Arirang News.