SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's online shopping sales rose in single digits in December last year due to surging demand for cars in cyberspace, statistical ministry data showed Monday.
Shopping in cyberspace gained 6.2 percent over the year to 24.29 trillion won (about 16.7 billion U.S. dollars) in December of 2025, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics.
The growth was attributable to soaring online purchases of models from the U.S. carmaker Tesla. The online sale of cars and car accessories spiked 66.4 percent in the cited month.
Online demand for culture and leisure services jumped 45.4 percent, while transactions of food and beverage, mobile devices, computers, and agricultural, livestock and fishery products in cyberspace mounted in double digits.
Demand in cyberspace for food delivery, travel and transport services, daily necessities, cosmetics, home appliances, and sports items posted a single-digit expansion.
Online transactions of e-coupon service advanced 10.1 percent amid a recovering trend to provide gifts such as coffee and cake through e-coupons.
Shopping through smartphones, tablets and other mobile gadgets climbed 6.2 percent over the year to 18.80 trillion won in December, accounting for 77.4 percent of the total online shopping. ■