Nissan Motor Co., looking to counter falling domestic demand, said Tuesday it plans to challenge Hyundai Motor Co. in South Korea's growing vehicle market by introducing Nissan brand models there next year.

The carmaker, which currently only sells luxury Infiniti models in South Korea, will introduce the Murano sport utility vehicle, Altima midsize sedan and Rogue crossover vehicle, Vice President Colin Dodge said in Seoul. Nissan brand sales may start as early as next October.

Japan's third-largest automaker has reported lower domestic sales in five of the past six months, as an aging population causes a slump in the overall market.

On the other hand, South Korean auto sales rose 6.7 percent in the first nine months of the year, spurred by rising consumer confidence in Asia's third-largest economy.

"Japanese automakers have better brand perception than Hyundai Motor and other Korean automakers among customers here," said Song Sang Hoon, an analyst at Hungkuk Securities Co. in Seoul. "If they bring in models with competitive prices, that will certainly be a threat." Song rates Hyundai Motor as a "buy."

Japan's auto market, excluding minicars, fell to its lowest level in 33 years in the six months to September.

South Korean carmakers sold 895,586 vehicles domestically in the nine months that ended in September, according to official statistics.