Coupang announced on the 27th that it will invest 193 billion won to establish and operate a state-of-the-art smart logistics center in Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, equipped with AI (artificial intelligence) technology.
This investment will expand same-day and early morning delivery benefits to Gyeongnam's small cities and remote areas in the medium to long term, including Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam. It is also expected to create around 1,400 jobs, contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.
Coupang's delivery subsidiary, Coupang Logistics Service (CLS), announced on the 26th that it has signed an investment agreement worth 193 billion won with Gimhae City in Gyeongsangnam-do to establish the Coupang Gimhae Smart Logistics Center.
The agreement ceremony held at the Gyeongsangnam-do government office was attended by Hong Yong-jun, CLS head of management support division; Park Wan-soo, governor of Gyeongsangnam-do; and Hong Tae-yong, mayor of Gimhae.
The Gimhae Smart Logistics Center, covering an area of about 37,000 pyeong (approximately 122,000 square meters) in the Andong area of Gimhae, will operate as a 'one-stop' solution from inventory management to final delivery.
Based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the logistics facility can predict customer order demand and store products with high order volumes, enabling immediate delivery upon ordering.
Coupang plans to establish logistics facilities capable of early morning delivery for essential goods and general products at the smart logistics center, aiming to open by the first half of this year. Additionally, they will establish cold storage facilities this year to enable early morning deliveries of fresh products as early as next year.
With the investment in the smart logistics center, the areas served by Coupang's delivery service (Rocket Delivery) in Gyeongsangnam-do are expected to expand significantly.
Previously, Coupang has been operating fresh logistics centers in Changwon and Gimhae, implementing early morning and same-day delivery in major cities.
This investment in the smart logistics center will enable early morning delivery to the southernmost regions of the Korean Peninsula, such as Sacheon, Geoje, and Tongyeong, as well as to remote areas within Gyeongsangnam-do.
Coupang plans to create more than 1,450 jobs by next year with the establishment of the smart logistics center.
Earlier, Coupang invested in large logistics centers in the areas of Changwon, Gimhae, and Yangsan, employing 6,200 people to date through investments in large logistics centers and forward bases for delivery.
Once the Gimhae Smart Logistics Center becomes operational, Coupang's job creation scale in Gyeongsangnam-do is expected to approach 8,000.
There are also expectations for economic revitalization effects through expanded purchases of products from local small businesses. Coupang plans to actively purchase products from local small businesses and farms, supporting their entry into the Coupang Open Market to contribute to expanding the market for small and medium enterprises and small businesses.