A report by an Internet analysis firm released in Seoul Saturday said Korea ranked first in the world in the number of people using broadband digital subscriber lines (DSL).

Point Topic, a British-based firm specializing in the broadband access business, said the number of DSL users worldwide grew by 90.8 percent in 2002, compared to the year before with total users numbering 36 million people.

The firm said of all the countries with DSL connections, Korea led the pact in terms of total numbers and the "DSL user rate."

It said Korea's DSL population grew by 1.25 million last year to reach 6.43 million overall, marginally more than runner up, the United States.