SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Korean consumers' online direct purchase from overseas recorded a double-digit increase in the first half of this year on rising demand for Chinese products, customs office data showed Tuesday.

　　The number of goods, which domestic consumers directly purchased via overseas online shopping malls, was 21.23 million in the January-June period, up 42 percent from a year earlier, according to Korea Customs Service.

　　In terms of value, the direct overseas purchase advanced 20 percent to 1.58 billion U.S. dollars in the cited period.

　　It was in a stark contrast to South Korea's total import in the first half, which reduced 4 percent from a year earlier.

　　The sharp increase came as the number of China-made electronic products, which South Korean consumers bought directly through online shopping malls, more than doubled to 2.16 million in the first half from 0.88 million recorded a year ago.

　　Among the items, demand surged here for China-made wireless earphones, air purifiers and electric scooters.

　　Strong demand continued for dietary supplements from the United States, of which the direct purchase jumped 43 percent to 3.73 million in terms of volume in the first half.

　　In terms of volume, the United States ranked first in the direct overseas purchase with a market share of 46 percent in the first half, followed by China with a share of 33 percent that rapidly surged from 11 percent tallied three years earlier.