Seoul, Dec 19 : South Korea expressed regret to France on Tuesday over the exclusion of a locally produced electric vehicle (EV) of Kia Corp. from the list of automobiles eligible for subsidies in France, the industry ministry said.

First Vice Industry Minister Jang Young-jin delivered the concern to French Trade Minister Olivier Becht in Seoul earlier in the day, as Paris decided to exclude the Niro EV of Kia from the list of the French government's subsidy program, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Hyundai Motor Co.'s Kona SUV, manufactured in Europe, was the only South Korean model to be included in the list released last week, reports Yonhap news agency.