The number of imported vehicles sold in South Korea last month dropped slightly from a year earlier, but eco-friendly vehicles such as hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for a record 81 percent of the total, industry data showed.

According to Yonhap News Agency, data from the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA) showed that a total of 21,495 imported vehicles were newly registered in April, marking a 0.3 percent decrease compared to the same period last year.

KAIDA attributed the decrease to price hikes and inventory shortages for certain brands.

By brand, BMW retained the top spot with 6,710 units sold, followed by Mercedes-Benz, Tesla and Lexus, with 4,908, 1,447 and 1,353 units, respectively.

In terms of fuel type, hybrid vehicles led the sales, accounting for 63.7 percent, followed by EVs and gasoline models, at 17.3 percent and 17.1 percent, respectively. Diesel models accounted for 1.9 percent of total imports.