Korea’s Fair Trade Commission conditionally approved the Gmarket–Alibaba joint venture. With strict data separation rules and global expansion plans, the JV could reshape Korea’s e-commerce landscape.
Conditional Approval for Gmarket–Ali JV
On Sept. 18, the Korea Fair Trade Commission approved the joint venture “Grand Opus Holding” under conditions. The JV will jointly manage Gmarket, Auction, and AliExpress Korea, aiming to expand sellers’ global reach while preserving competition.
Key Condition: Data Separation
The strongest condition is strict separation of consumer data. Gmarket and AliExpress must keep data independent, with a 3-year corrective order and oversight committee monitoring compliance.
600K Sellers, 20M Products Go Global
About 600,000 Gmarket sellers can now offer 20 million products through Alibaba’s network. Initial expansion is expected in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia, leveraging Alibaba’s global logistics.
Facing Coupang and Naver
Domestically, Coupang dominates fast delivery, while Naver leads in ads, payments, and open market ecosystems. The Gmarket–Ali JV is likely to push price competitiveness, global seller inflow, and ad efficiency as its weapons.
Alibaba’s 3–5 Day Global Shipping
Alibaba’s network enables 3–5 day delivery for cross-border trade. While it may not disrupt Korea’s last-mile strongholds immediately, it gives sellers easy access to test overseas demand. Challenges remain in inventory, returns, and customer service standards.
Success Hinges on Data Governance and Trust
The JV’s future rests on:
1️⃣ Data independence and security, ensuring compliance and user trust.
2️⃣ Real revenue conversion for sellers via standardized registration, predictable tariff/return policies, ad efficiency, and SLA compliance.
In the end, trust and user experience will outweigh simple cost savings.
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