Coupang Wins 'Korea Logistics Award'... Creating 30,000 Jobs Through Logistics Investment

Coupang's Rocket Delivery Recognized for Job Creation, Differentiated Technology, and Proprietary Logistics Infrastructure

Kim Myung-kyu, Head of Logistics Policy and Executive Director at Coupang (center), is posing for a commemorative photo after receiving the Grand Prize in the Mid-sized Enterprise category at the 23rd Korea Logistics Awards ceremony.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] Coupang announced on the 22nd that it won the Grand Prize in the mid-sized enterprise category at the '23rd Korea Logistics Awards Ceremony' hosted by the Korea Logistics Society.

The Korea Logistics Awards are given by the Korea Logistics Society, a corporation, to recognize companies, organizations, and individuals who have contributed to the development of logistics in Korea. Coupang was recognized for offering a differentiated service called 'Rocket Delivery' to customers based on its self-built logistics infrastructure and innovative logistics software developed over several years, as well as for contributing to large-scale job creation.

According to Coupang, when Rocket Delivery started in 2014, there were only 27 Rocket Delivery centers nationwide. However, by 2019, that number had increased sixfold to 168. As the number of Rocket Delivery centers grew, the number of consumers living within a 10-minute distance from a Rocket Delivery center, known as the 'Rocket Delivery living zone,' also jumped thirteenfold from 2.59 million to 34 million during the same period. Based on the densely established nationwide Rocket Delivery center network, Coupang is delivering fresh food nationwide in the early morning. This year, they took a step further by introducing same-day delivery, where fresh food ordered by 10 a.m. is delivered in the afternoon.

The nationwide logistics infrastructure and the rapid growth of Rocket Delivery have led to job creation. Coupang's direct and indirect employment increased by 5,000 in one year, from 25,000 in 2018 to 30,000 in 2019. Various personnel work together, from AI engineers designing cutting-edge logistics services to brand managers discovering local specialties, and from Coupangmen to Coupang Flex workers.

Kim Myung-gyu, Head of Coupang's Logistics Policy Office and Executive Director, said, "Every time a new Rocket Delivery living zone is added, jobs derived from Rocket Delivery also increase." He added, "We will continue to invest steadily in logistics infrastructure and technology development to provide better services so that customers will wonder, 'How did we live without Coupang?'"