Chinese customers boost S. Korean E-Commerce

S.Korea's e-commerce exports have grown significantly due to growing demand for cosmetics and clothing among Chinese online shoppers.

According to a report by Statistics Korea on Wednesday, online sales to foreign countries stood at W497.4 billion in the second quarter of this year, up a whopping 83 percent from the same period last year (US$1=W1,118).

But since the Chinese government began to levy taxes on overseas e-commerce transactions under 50 yuan, online sales fell 1.9 percent from the first quarter.

Online exports to China accounted for 75 percent of the total at W373.2 billion, followed by the U.S. at W35 billion, Japan at W31.7 billion and Southeast Asian countries at W19.2 billion.

Cosmetics were the most popular items with W333.3 billion (67 percent) and clothing came next at W87.5 billion (19.2 percent).

(THE CHOSUNILBO)