Seoul: Sales of imported vehicles in South Korea gained 24.4 percent from a year earlier in February, helped by the announcement of this year's government subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs), industry data showed Thursday. The number of newly registered imported cars came to 20,199 units last month, up from 16,237 units from a year ago. According to Qatar News Agency, the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association reported a monthly increase, with the tally representing a 32.6 percent surge from January. This significant rise is attributed to the growing interest in environmentally friendly vehicles and government incentives. In terms of fuel types, hybrid registrations totaled 13,013 units, accounting for 64.4 percent of all new imported cars. Electric, gasoline, and diesel model registrations followed at 18.6 percent, 16 percent, and 1 percent, respectively. This distribution highlights a strong preference for hybrid vehicles among consumers in South Korea.