S. Korea's use of Internet banking gains 9.9 pct

SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- The use of Internet banking in South Korea expanded
9.9 percent in the first quarter from three month earlier as more clients went
online for financial transactions, the central bank said Thursday.
The number of online banking deals reached an average of 26.41 million per day in
the January-March period, compared with 24.29 million in the previous three
months, the Bank of Korea said in a report.
The amount of Internet transactions also surged 10.9 percent during the same
period to reach an average of 26.95 trillion won (US$20.4 billion) per day,
according to the central bank.
As of the end of March, 55 million individuals and companies held online-banking
accounts with 17 local lenders, the state-run Korea Post and HSBC Holding Plc, up
4.5 percent from three month earlier, it said.
Internet banking accounted for 32.9 percent of the total electronic transactions
in the first quarter while 39.2 percent were carried out through cash dispensers
and automatic teller machines.
South Korea is one of the most wired nations in the world, with over two-thirds
of its people having high-speed Internet access.
pbr@yna.co.kr
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