Based on an analysis by the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Choi In-ho of data provided by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), the number of convenience stores in South Korea has increased by nearly 20,000 in the past seven years. Local supermarkets, conversely, are on the decline. Interestingly enough, while sales revenue for traditional markets and hypermarkets stagnated for the same period, revenue for online markets increased by 50 trillion won (US$44.1 billion). (Shin So-young, staff photographer)