The number of Korean subscribers to Internet of Things (IoT) networks has exceeded the 4 million mark, buoyed by a jump in wearable device users, government data showed Sunday.

As of end-September, the number of IoT subscribers reached 4.08 million, compared with 3.96 million two months earlier, according to the data by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning.

IoT is a concept in which all tangible objects are connected to the Internet and can identify themselves to other devices in order to exchange necessary data for improved efficiency and convenience.

The number of Koreans using wearable telecommunications devices came to some 294,000 at the end of September, amid the rising popularity of smartwatches in the country.

The number of wearable device users is widely expected to spike following Samsung Electronics Co.'s rollout of its latest smart watch.

In early October, Samsung unveiled the Samsung Gear S2 in an effort to bolster its global presence in the smartwatch segment, where the tech firm is lagging far behind archrival Apple Inc.

According to the government data, the number of mobile phone subscribers in South Korea reached 58.4 million, with smartphone users hitting 42.6 million. (Yonhap)