According to data provided by pollster DMC Media, around 28 percent of South Korean bank account holders aged between 20 and 59 said they preferred either a desktop or a laptop to use internet banking services during the past year. (Image: Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — Only 3 in 10 South Koreans currently use desktop online banking, while the majority have turned to mobile banking services accessed via smartphones and tablet PCs, a new survey has found.
According to data provided by pollster DMC Media, around 28 percent of South Korean bank account holders aged between 20 and 59 said they preferred either a desktop or a laptop to use internet banking services during the past year.
In contrast, nearly 72 percent said they preferred to use either a smartphone or tablet PC for online banking services, leaving a huge gap between the levels of support for desktop and mobile internet.
The findings mark a notable shift in South Koreans’ internet usage patterns over the last few years.
PC online banking was more popular than mobile banking as recently as 2015, with the ratio coming in at 58 to 42, according to previous surveys by DMC Media.
However, mobile banking took the lead in 2016 for the first time, and users haven’t looked back, leaving PC online banking in the past.
When broken down by age, mobile banking services were most popular among young people, with nearly 9 in 10 respondents in their 20s using smartphones for online banking services, while a mere 6.5 percent said they typically used a PC.
On the other hand, for those in their 50s, 48.4 percent were more comfortable using mobile banking services, while 34.7 percent used a desktop PC.
When it came to online shopping, however, PCs were still more popular than mobile devices, with a 55 percent share compared to 45 percent for mobile devices.
When asked about the most frequently used form of digital content, music came out on top, followed closely by TV content, movies and e-books.
The survey was conducted by DMC Media with a sample of 919 adults between 20 and 59 years of age.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
