The country's major businesses performed better in the first six months of this year compared to last year.

According to the corporate data research institute CEO Score on Wednesday, a survey of 337 businesses posted sales of one-quadrillion-641-trillion won in the first half, up 27-point-nine percent from a year earlier.

Sales in the petrochemical industry expanded 44-point-four percent to 220-point-three trillion won, while those in IT and electrical appliances jumped 19-point-five percent on-year to 45-point-three trillion won.

The telecommunications sector was the only industry that saw sales decline by one-point-six percent.

Operating profits of the surveyed companies in the January-to-June period stood at 125-point-four trillion won, up seven-point-five percent on-year. The IT and electrical electronics industry posted the biggest jump of 26-point-eight percent.

Sales for Samsung Electronics expanded by the biggest margin of 20-point-one percent to reach nearly 155 trillion won, with operating profits also surging 28-point-six percent on-year.