SEOUL-- Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Friday its sales fell 0.9 percent last month from a year earlier as global chip shortages affected its vehicle production and sales.

Kia said it sold 250,646 vehicles in March, down from 252,943 units a year ago.

"Uncertainties remain due to chip supply disruptions and the spread of the omicron virus variant, but the company will minimize the impact of the factors on vehicle production," Kia said in a statement.

Domestic sales declined 12 percent on-year to 45,066 units last month from 51,011, while exports rose 1.8 percent to 205,580 from 201,932 during the cited period, it said.

From January to March, sales fell 0.7 percent to 685,358 autos from 689,990 units during the same period of last year.

Source: Yonhap News Agency