S. Korean retail owners kick off year with on-site push

(Shinsegae)

Retail company owners in South Korea are intensifying on-site management efforts at the start of the year, visiting stores and overseas events firsthand to inspect core businesses and explore new growth opportunities amid rising uncertainty.

According to industry sources on Thursday, Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, visited Emart’s top-performing store, Starfield Market Jukjeon, on Monday to conduct an on-site inspection.

Chung arrived around 6 p.m., when after-work crowds peak, and closely reviewed major sections along customer traffic routes. Starting with the wine section, he moved through seafood, meat and frozen food areas, checking prices and product assortments and purchasing items such as sashimi platters, half-dried saury and frozen convenience foods.

Emphasizing the importance of field-based management, Chung said Shinsegae will further refine its “overwhelming No.1 strategy” and pledged to visit frontline sites frequently this year to identify future growth engines. He also stressed accountability in offline retail, saying the group must become the most trusted “shopping destination” in customers’ daily lives despite a challenging retail environment.

(Fashion Group Hyungji)

Choi Byung-oh, chairman of Hyungji Group, accompanied Lee Jae-myung on an economic delegation trip to China, attending key events including business meetings and a state banquet. Choi joined senior executives from Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG, as well as Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.

Choi was the only fashion and wearable robotics entrepreneur to attend a business roundtable at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Sunday and also networked with executives from leading Chinese tech firms at a state banquet hosted by President Xi Jinping. He discussed potential cooperation in wearable robotics, particularly battery technology, with figures including Zeng Yuqun of CATL and Li Dongsheng of TCL Technology Group.

Hyungji plans to leverage the China trip to expand cooperation with robotics-related firms such as CATL and accelerate development of smart clothing and wearable robots designed to support the mobility of older adults.

(Yonhap)

Meanwhile, Lee Sun-ho, head of the Future Planning Group at CJ Group and eldest son of Chairman Lee Jae-hyun, is attending CES 2026 in Las Vegas from Monday to Thursday. He is reviewing global industry trends and real-world applications of emerging technologies while exploring collaboration opportunities with global companies and startups.

CJ said Lee’s activities at CES will feed into the group’s mid- to long-term growth strategy and efforts to strengthen competitiveness in artificial intelligence and digital transformation. Related units, including CJ’s AI office, digital transformation task force and CJ OliveNetworks, are also participating in CES to study global technology trends.

Industry watchers expect owners’ on-site engagement to intensify this year as slowing consumption and rapid technological change heighten uncertainty. “There is a clear trend toward owners directly checking the field and making decisions themselves,” an industry official said, adding that on-site inspections and global networking will be key management keywords for retail and consumer goods companies in 2026.