Sales of Volkswagen diesel cars have plummeted to double-digit figures in the United States, while sales in South Korea have increased.

According to auto industry data on Wednesday, only 76 diesel cars made by Volkswagen and its affiliates, Audi and Porsche, were sold in the U.S. in December.

In South Korea, however, five-thousand-191 Volkswagen diesel cars were sold during the same month.

The rapid decline in the number of Volkswagen vehicles sold in the U.S. is attributable to the decision by U.S. authorities to suspend the sales of a wide range of Volkswagen models, including those currently under investigation for the emissions-cheating scandal.

In the automaker's emissions-rigging scandal, the South Korean Environment Ministry has only suspended the cars running on old engines equipped with the cheating software.

The aggressive sales promotions by Volkswagen Korea, including steep discount benefits, are also said to have boosted the sales of Volkswagen cars in South Korea.

Sales of diesel-engine Volkswagen cars in South Korea dropped nine-point-two percent in October, following the revelation of the German carmaker’s worldwide false emission schemes. The figures, however, immediately turned around, recording a 59-point-four-percent growth in November.