Seoul: Leading online lender Kakao Bank announced on Wednesday that it achieved record earnings in the first half of the year, driven by an increase in both interest and non-interest income. Net profit for the January-June period surged 24.4 percent from the previous year, reaching a record high of 328 billion won (US$229 million), as disclosed in a regulatory filing by the company.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the company's operating profit experienced a slight decline of 0.45 percent year-on-year, totaling 351 billion won during the specified period. Meanwhile, revenue saw a 5.5 percent increment, amounting to 1.64 trillion won. In the second quarter alone, Kakao Bank reported a net profit of 141 billion won, marking an 11.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The bank's interest income in the first half rose by 5.9 percent year-on-year, reaching 1.06 trillion won, while non-interest income grew by 4.8 percent, totaling 589 billion won. By the end of June, Kakao Bank's customer base had expanded to 27.63 million, with its monthly active users standing at 20.32 million.