New coronavirus fuels 1,236% jump in overseas purchases of masks, hand sanitizers

Since the outbreak of the new coronavirus, more and more South Koreans are shopping online for protective items from overseas sites.

According to the Korean branch of the international shopping support site Malltail, orders for sanitary products from overseas sites jumped 1,236 percent in the period between Jan. 20 to Thursday, compared with the same period last year.

The most popular item was hand sanitizer, with sales surging 6,243 percent during the cited period. Face masks and hand soap were also in high demand, with their sales having increased by 147 percent and 296 percent on-year.

Malltail, which helps customers purchase items directly from foreign shopping sites and arranges shipping, said until Friday it is offering free shipping for customers who buy at least 50,000 won ($42) worth of sanitary products. 

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com \)