LG Electronics has increased the number of employees serving in its smartphone and vehicle component divisions.

According to a regulatory filing showed Monday, there were 6,790 workers at LG Electronics' Mobile Communications division as of the fourth quarter of 2016, up 18.8 percent from the earlier three-month period.

South Korea's No. 2 tech giant had earlier reduced the number of staff members at the mobile business as the G4 and G5 smartphones failed to meet the market's expectations.

But the company has been focusing efforts to promote its new flagship G6 smartphone this year. Industry watchers expect LG's mobile business to turn to profit on the back of the new premium model.

In contrast, the size of the staff at Samsung's IT and Mobile division fell 0.6 percent over the cited period to 26,398, as Samsung ahas been seeking to bring more efficiency to its structure.

LG Electronics also hired more than 3,000 workers for its vehicle component division last year.

According to LG's business report released last week, the number of its vehicle component workers increased 90 percent to 4,607 as of the end of last year from 1,232 in 2015.

LG's vehicle component unit has been producing car components including drive motors, inverters and battery packs. LG has supplied 11 key components to the GM Bolt EV since the fourth quarter of last year in the North American market.

Apart from GM's electric vehicles, LG is reportedly working with Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and some Chinese automakers, including FAW Group Corp., Dongfeng Motor and FOTON, although the Korean tech firm declined to confirm the companies.