UPDATE 1-Hyundai Motor chairman worried about U.S. sales

(Adds details, another official, share price)

SEOUL, April 3 (Reuters) - The chairman of Hyundai Motor Co. (005380.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is worried over demand in the United States which has been falling due to higher fuel prices, the top South Korean auto maker said on Thursday.

"Demand in the United States has fallen considerably due to sharp rises in fuel prices," a company statement quoted Chung Mong-koo as saying after a meeting with dealers of its vehicles operating in the United States.

Hyundai Motor, the world's sixth-largest auto maker by sales volume along with its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. (000270.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), has set a target to boost this year's sales volume by a fifth to 3.11 million from 2.6 million sold in 2007.

Analysts have been sceptical of the ambitious goal in view of the spreading fallout from the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis and from the skyrocketing prices of fuel and other materials, which would cut down on consumer spending globally.

The U.S. market accounted for 18 percent, by volume, of its total car sales last year. It focuses on selling to the lower-priced end of the market there.

The company statement also quoted Kim Jong-eun, president of Hyundai's U.S. sales unit, as saying forecasts about total U.S. automobile market have been readjusted downward month by month.

"Total auto sales (in the U.S.) have fallen for four consecutive months," Kim said.

Hyundai Motor shares were down 0.1 percent at 81,000 won at 0200 GMT, slightly underperforming the broader market's 0.6 percent gain. (Reporting by Yoo Choonsik, editing by Jonathan Thatcher)