[THE INVESTOR] GM Korea, the Korean unit of General Motors, will export its new Malibu sedan to Middle Eastern countries, local news reported.

According to online media outlet News1, the automaker will ship around 2,000 units of the midsize sedan Malibu to 10 countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon, Qatar and Kuwait.

GM Korea is set to export 12,000 units yearly. 

The new Malibu has enjoyed great popularity here since its release in May, driving the automaker’s sales to a record high. The vehicle sold 4,618 units in July alone, up 172.4 percent from a year earlier.

In addition to the newest Malibu, GM Korea has exported the previous generation of Malibu and other models, including the Chevrolet Spark and Captiva SUV to the region in the past.

The export Malibu is similar to the domestic model, except for a fire extinguisher and an emergency kit equipped inside the vehicle to meet the countries’ requirements, the company said.

The new shipment to the Middle East is expected to offset GM Korea’s declining exports amid increasing domestic sales. The carmaker exported a total of 252,350 units from January to July, down 11 percent from the same period last year.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)