Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Monday its sales dropped 1.8 percent in January from a year ago, affected in part by fewer working days at some of its overseas factories. 

The carmaker sold 252,774 units overall last month, down from 257,399 vehicles a year earlier, Kia Motors said in a statement.

Of the total, domestic sales grew 8.2 percent on-year to 36,802 units. Overseas sales came to 215,972 units, down 3.3 percent from the same month a year earlier.

"Overseas sales were driven by such major vehicle brands as the Pride, Sportage R, K3 and Sorento, but fewer working days at some of the factories in foreign countries resulted in a 3.3 percent decline," the company said.

The anemic foreign sales were somewhat offset by the relatively brisk domestic sales, the company added. 

Kia Motors painted a tough market outlook this year, citing deepening competition from foreign carmakers, the weak Japanese currency and the economic instability in emerging countries. (Yonhap)