US Ambassador to Korea and Government Officials Visit Coupang Daegu FC

Coupang to Invest a Total of 6.2 Trillion KRW in Domestic Logistics Development

Attendees at the Coupang Daegu Logistics Center invitation event are taking a commemorative photo. (From left: Lee Jong-hwa, Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Daegu; Harold Rogers, Coupang Legal Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer; Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to Korea; Kang Han-seung, CEO of Coupang; Eom Yeol, Director of AI-Based Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] Coupang announced on the 7th that it invited the U.S. Ambassador, representatives from the Korean government, and local government officials to its Daegu Fulfillment Center (hereafter Daegu FC). The invitation event was attended by Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Daegu Metropolitan City, and the AI Policy Officer from the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Completed in March, Coupang Daegu FC is a fulfillment center equipped with state-of-the-art logistics equipment, with an investment exceeding 300 billion KRW. It covers an area equivalent to 46 soccer fields and incorporates innovative facilities such as artificial intelligence (AI) and logistics robots. The number of direct employees created by Daegu FC is expected to reach 2,500, with an anticipated direct and indirect employment effect of about 10,000 people.

On this day, Coupang held an invitation program under the theme "Coupang's Journey of Innovation and Investment in 2022," focusing on Coupang's unique win-win model that supports the sustainable growth of customers, workers, and small business owners. Coupang explained that since its establishment in 2010, it has invested 6.2 trillion KRW across more than 30 regions nationwide, and that last year, Coupang attracted nearly half of all U.S. foreign direct investment inflows into Korea. It was also emphasized that over the past two years, Coupang has established itself as the largest private-sector job creator in Korea by directly employing more than 60,000 people.

Coupang's logistics infrastructure also serves as a growth engine for small and medium-sized merchants, who account for 70% of all Coupang sellers. From the third quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of this year, sales of small and medium-sized merchants on Coupang increased by 140%. Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, said, "The Korea-U.S. alliance has rapidly evolved into a global technology and economic partnership, and Coupang is a prime example of this evolution," adding, "Coupang's direct investment has generated job creation and continuous innovation, making everyday life more convenient for Koreans."

Kang Han-seung, CEO of Coupang, stated, "Coupang's logistics sites are transforming into cutting-edge digital technology sites combining AI algorithms and automated robot technology," emphasizing, "Coupang's digital technology breaks the conventional belief that it would reduce employment, and instead leads to job creation and revitalization of the local economy, which is significant."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.