The number of Internet users in Korea has topped 40 million, with the rate of Internet use also surpassing the 80 percent mark, a survey showed on Monday.

According to the report compiled by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the number of Internet users in the country, with a population of nearly 50 million, reached some 40.08 million as of September, up from 38.12 million a year ago, and some 82 percent of South Koreans log on to the Internet at least once a month, also up from 78.4 percent over the cited period.

The survey was conducted on 77,402 South Koreans aged over 3 years and 30,000 households between July 1 and Sept. 31. Eight in every 10 households, or 79.7 percent, owned smartphones, compared with 65 percent a year ago and 42.5 percent two years ago, the report showed.

The report also said fixed-line Internet connection by households declined by 2.3 percentage points to 79.8 percent, but when wireless Internet connection was considered, the comparable figure was 98.1 percent.

Of female respondents, 78 percent said they use the Internet, compared with 86.2 percent for male respondents.

The most active Internet user group was those aged between 20 and 29, with a usage rate of 99.9 percent.

By occupation, students and office workers each topped the list with a 99.5 percent usage rate, followed by professionals at 99.1 percent.

About 60.2 percent of respondents said they have e-mail accounts they use at least once a month, down from 84.8 percent a year ago, while the usage rate of instant messengers jumped to 82.7 percent from 22.6 percent over the cited period, the report said. (Yonhap news)