Coupang announced on the 24th that it will ship seafood from areas with declining populations, such as Wando and Yeonggwang, directly to customers nationwide to help expand the market for fishermen.
Wando, Yeonggwang, and Sinan, where Coupang has started direct transactions, are areas designated as having declining populations by the Ministry of Interior and Safety.
Coupang explained, "The population in these areas nearly reached 150,000 in the past, but now it has decreased to around 40,000 to 50,000," adding, "With the operation of the Gwangju Advanced Logistics Center and Daejeon Fresh Center starting last year, the direct shipping of seafood from nearby island areas gained momentum."
Direct shipping is a service where a Wow member can order seafood caught by local fishermen by 1 p.m., and it will be delivered by early the next morning.
Since 2020, the year after launching Rocket Fresh, Coupang has been expanding direct transactions with fishermen from island areas such as Wando County, Namhae County, Geoje City, and Jindo County, which have been designated as areas with declining populations.
Coupang plans to expand its Rocket Delivery service to 230 areas among 260 cities, counties, and districts nationwide by 2027 to assist the economies of island regions.
A Coupang official noted, "Coupang prioritizes coexistence with local communities as its core value," and stated, "By expanding online sales channels for specialty products from island regions, we have been able to introduce excellent seafood to more customers."