Kia Motors' 2010 net profit, sales hit records

SEOUL, South Korea Kia Motors says annual net profit and sales surged to all-time highs last year as it sold a record number of vehicles.

Kia said Friday that it earned 2.25 trillion won ($2.02 billion) in 2010. That was a gain of 55 percent from 1.45 trillion won the year before.

Revenue rose 26 percent to 23.3 trillion won. Global sales volume increased 39 percent to 2.13 million vehicles.

Company spokeswoman Pamela Munoz said the annual net profit, revenue and vehicle sales figures were all Kia's best ever. She said operating profit was also a record.

Kia Motors Corp. is South Korea's second-biggest automaker after Hyundai Motor Co. Together they form the world's fifth-largest automaker.