South Korea's home sales reached an 8-year high in 2014, the government said Sunday, apparently bolstered by a series of government measures to revitalize the property market.

The number of home transactions surged 18 percent on-year to 1,005,173 last year, the largest annual tally since 2006, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

It also marks the first time since 2006 that the annual figure has surpassed the 1 million mark.

Home transactions in Seoul soared 32.5 percent on-year to 148,266 last year. Home transactions in the capital region, including the western port city of Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, surged 27.3 percent to 462,111.

Home transactions in rural areas increased 11.1 percent on-year to 543,062.

By type, transactions of apartment units, which make up the largest part of the country's home rental market, jumped 17.3 percent on-year to 708,950 last year, according to the ministry.

In September, the government announced a set of measures to stimulate the property market, including a 10-year reduction in the minimum age of housing units eligible for reconstruction. In late July, the government eased rules on home-backed bank lending. (Yonhap)