In brief
South Korea’s 26 major retailers reported a 4.5 % rise in September retail sales, with offline stores up 5.1 % and online sales 4.0 %. Early Chuseok holidays spurred strong demand for holiday gifts, groceries, and fashion, boosting key stores such as hypermarkets and department stores.
South Korea’s retail sales grew 4.5 % in September, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, as shoppers capitalized on an early‑year Chuseok holiday.
The data cover 26 major retailers, 15 of which were offline and 11 online, showing that offline sales rose 5.1 % and online sales grew 4.0 % from a year earlier.
Consumer spending surged on holiday gift sets, groceries, and apparel, with the holiday’s timing—late September instead of early October—boosting demand for traditional foods and seasonal fashion.
Hypermarkets experienced sustained growth for a second month, driven by higher sales of holiday groceries, home appliances and toys for gifts.
Department stores saw a 13.0 % jump in food revenue as Chuseok gift sets increased, while autumn fashion lifted sales of women’s casual wear by 15.2 % and men’s clothing by 8.7 %.
Convenience stores recorded a 5.9 % rise in processed food sales, catering to single‑person households that needed ready‑to‑eat meals during the holidays.
Online grocery sales climbed 6.7 %, and demand for services such as food delivery, travel and cultural products increased 10.6 % as more consumers turned to digital platforms.
These figures indicate that the early Chuseok holiday helped sustain retail momentum in September, boosting both physical and e‑commerce channels across South Korea.
