The total value of online shopping in South Korea hit a record high in May, government data showed, in the latest sign that a growing number of people are using computers and mobile devices to buy more things, from clothes to electronic goods.

Total online transactions reached 11.26 trillion won ($9.6 billion) in May, up 19.8 percent from a year earlier, according to preliminary data compiled by Statistics Korea.

The reading was the highest since January 2001, when the statistics office started collecting data on online shopping. (Yonhap)