Coupang opens large logistics center in Gwangju

Coupang Gwangju State-of-the-Art Fulfillment Center Completion Ceremony. (Coupang)

Coupang Inc. has opened a state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Gwangju. As the largest logistics center in the Honam region, which includes Jeolla Provinces and Gwangju, the center is expected to create new jobs in an area where population decline and fewer job opportunities are a concern.

Spanning 1.8 million square feet, which is equivalent to 22 football pitches, the center is the company‘s largest Rocket Delivery hub located in the Jeolla provinces, according to Coupang.

Coupang and the city of Gwangju signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in September 2020, with construction starting a year later. Their goal was to build a logistics hub to provide delivery services for residents in Jeolla Provinces’ smaller cities and counties, such as Goheung and Boseong.

Coupang said it will employ more than 2,000 people to work at the center, most of whom are from local communities, as part of its support for the local economy. According to Statistics Korea, the employment rate among younger residents in Gwangju was 38.9 percent in 2023, below the national average of 46.5 percent.

The center also features cutting-edge automation, including autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) and sorting robots. The robots will carry out simple and mundane tasks to allow human workers to focus on more complex roles.