South Korean handset maker LG Electronics Inc. has sold more than 3 million smartphones in the local market, bolstering the company’s drive to escape its smartphone laggard status, a company official said Thursday.

LG Electronics saw its domestic smartphone shipments top 3-million units in the first 10 months of the year, breaking the milestone for the first time, according to an LG Electronics official.

While end-November figures were unavailable, the company is expected to sell a total of 3.5 million smartphones by the end of the year on growing sales of smartphones that run on the fourth-generation long-term evolution network.

LG, which has lagged behind No. 3 handset maker Pantech Corp. in the smartphone sector, has been ramping up efforts to regain its presence with releases of LTE phones, including the Optimus G and Optimus Vu 2.

In the third quarter, LG sold a record 7 million smartphones globally, compared with the previous high of 6.2 million. Of the total, LTE smartphones accounted for roughly 2.1 million, according to LG. (Yonhap News)