The number of sales workers in the country has declined by 400-thousand over the past four years due to increased online transactions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to data released by Statistics Korea on Sunday, the sales workforce stood at two-point-64 million in April, down 19-thousand or zero-point-seven percent from a year earlier.

The figure posted an on-year decline for the 44th consecutive month since September 2019.

Compared to four years ago in April 2019, it dropped by 393-thousand from over three-point-03 million, with 337-thousand or 86 percent of them from retailers and wholesalers.

The sales workforce includes cashiers at retail stores, insurance consultants, and car salespeople.