By Kang Yoon-seung
SEJONG, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) — Statistics Korea reported Thursday that the value of online shopping transactions in South Korea rose 6.1 percent year-on-year in August, due to a surge in demand for travel services.
The total amount of online purchases amounted to 19.1 trillion won (US$14.13 billion) in August, compared to the 18 trillion won recorded in the same month of the previous year.
The growth was mainly driven by the travel and transportation industry, which saw a 29.1 percent increase to 2.1 trillion won as more people travelled following the relaxation of virus-related restrictions.
Food and beverage sales increased 5.1 percent to reach 2.64 trillion won, while e-coupons and gift cards also rose 37 percent to 813.9 billion won.
Food delivery services earned 2.37 trillion won, a 4.4 percent year-on-year increase, while the sale of daily necessities gained 3.5 percent to 1.49 trillion won.
Mobile device purchases, including those made through smartphones and tablets, climbed 5.3 percent to 14.1 trillion won. This accounted for 74 percent of total online shopping, a 0.6 percentage point decrease from the previous year.
Workers sort parcels at a logistics center in Cheongju, 112 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sept. 26, 2023. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
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