A record 25.01 trillion won (US$18.24 billion) worth of online transactions were made in July, up 7.3 percent from a year earlier and the highest since relevant data were first compiled in 2017.
The ministry attributed the increase to more spending on food delivery, groceries and automobile-related purchases.
Food services accounted for the largest portion of online shopping at 15.5 percent, as this year's monsoon season, which arrived later than usual and lasted until mid-July, appeared to lead more people to opt to order food instead of eating out.
Groceries made up 13.9 percent of online shopping, followed by travel and transportation services at 12.6 percent, while purchases of clothing fell 6.1 percent from a year earlier.
Mobile shopping totaled 19.57 trillion won, up 3.2 percent from the previous month and 6.4 percent from a year earlier, accounting for 78 percent of all online shopping, down from 78.6 percent a year earlier.
AJP Takeaways
• Online shopping in Korea reached a record 25.01 trillion won in July, up 7.3 percent from a year earlier.
• Food delivery drove much of the growth, with spending on food services accounting for the largest portion of online shopping at 15.5 percent.
• Groceries and travel also made up major portions of online purchases, while clothing purchases fell 6.1 percent from a year earlier.
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