SEOUL - Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, South Korea's top two automakers, saw car sales in the Chinese market cut in half last month, statistics showed.

Auto sales in China by Hyundai and its affiliate Kia numbered 56,026 units and 16,006 units each in March, down 44.3 percent and 68 percent compared with a year earlier, according to industry data cited by Newsis local news agency.

Combined sales in China of the two carmakers reached 72,032 vehicles in March, down 52.2 percent from a year ago. It marked the first time since February last year that the combined figure fell below the 100,000 level.

Auto production in South Korea grew in February on export recovery, with the number of cars produced in domestic factories reached 336,032 units, up 9.8 percent from a year earlier.

Car exports advanced 5.3 percent in Februrary from a year earlier to 201,757 units.