Retail sales in South Korea rose 9.1 percent in February from a year earlier as more people purchased daily necessities through online platforms amid the spread of the new coronavirus here, data showed.

The combined sales of 26 major offline and online retailers reached 10.6 trillion won ($8.68 billion) last month, compared with 9.71 trillion won a year earlier, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The sharp increase came as online stores enjoyed a whopping 34.3 percent jump in their sales as South Koreans refrained from visiting crowded places or having face-to-face contact amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)