The Bank of Korea(BOK) said household loans topped one-thousand trillion won last month after demand for loans related to housing surged.

In announcing the trends of the financial market for February, the central bank said Wednesday that household loans grew by six-point-seven trillion won from January to stand at one-thousand-three-point-one trillion won last month. 

That growth was the second largest to be posted for a February since related statistics began to be compiled in 2004. The record high of nine-point-three trillion won was logged last February. 

Out of total household loans, mortgage loans grew six-point-four trillion won from the month earlier, or higher than the five-trillion-won growth posted in January. 

An official at the central bank said the rise in loans for “jeonse” rental drove up the overall mortgage loans.