SEOUL, KOREA- Korea's major carmakers are taking steps to regain the lead in the domestic diesel car market where import cars increased presence at a rapid pace in recent days.Following Hyundai Motor's release of the New Avante Diesel, other Korean carmakers, including Kia Motors, Renault Samsung, GM Korea, and Ssangyong Motor, are preparing to roll out their own diesel models.

The Korean diesel car market has been led by import cars. According to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association, the share of diesel cars in total import car sales in Korea reached 51 percent last year. This was the first time for the share of diesel cars in import car sales to break the 50-percent barrier.

The share rose further to 60.3 percent in the January-July period of this year. Among top-ten best-selling import cars were seven diesel models, including the best-selling car BMW 520d.

In contrast, the share of diesel cars in total sales of domestically made cars remained low at 30.4 percent. Most of them are SUVs, with the share of diesel passenger cars remaining negligible.