Seoul:<Text>

KB Financial Group on Thursday reported a first-quarter net profit of 1.91 trillion won (US$1.3 billion), marking an increase of 12.8 percent from the same period last year. The South Korean financial company disclosed these figures in a regulatory filing, indicating a significant financial performance for the January to March timeframe.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the operating income for the first quarter rose by 19 percent year-on-year, reaching 2.72 trillion won. Additionally, the company's sales surged by 55.5 percent, totaling 30.69 trillion won. This remarkable financial growth surpassed market expectations, as analysts had estimated the net profit to be around 1.81 trillion won, based on a survey conducted by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data arm of Yonhap News Agency.