Korea - June 2020 SPOTLIGHT Savills Research Korea Logistics Korea Logistics The COVID-19 spread has contributed to the exploding demand for E-commerce, driving interest in logistics. TRADE TRANSPORT GRAPH 1: Total Container Transport by Port, 2014 – 2019 Total container transport1 increased at an annual rate of 4% from 2014 to 2018, (1,000 ton) Busan Incheon Pyeongtaek-Dangjin Gwangyang Ulsan Others until sliding by -1% YoY in 2019. By port, 500,000 there was no change for Busan, while Incheon and Pyeongtaek saw trade volumes 450,000 expand by 3% and 1% YoY, respectively, as 400,000 opposed to Port of Ulsan2 falling 10% YoY, resulting in an overall decline in transport 350,000 volume nationwide. Recently, container 300,000 trade volumes have continued on their 250,000 downtrend as the spread of COVID-19 is limiting trade across international borders. 200,000 Total transport volume for the period of 150,000 January to March 2020 posted -7% YoY. 100,000 RETAIL SALES BY BUSINESS TYPE 50,000 Online retail sales grew a remarkable - 19% YoY in 2019, versus total retail sales 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 growing 2% YoY. With online retail sales, Source Ministry of Oceans & Fisheries which represented only 11% of total retail sales in 2015, rising to 29% of the total in GRAPH 2: Online Retail Sales as a Proportion of Total Retail Sales, 2015 – 2019 2019, the paradigm shift from offline to online shopping is rapidly materializing. ( KRW Trn) Total Retail Sales (LHS) Online Retail Sales (LHS) Share of Online Retail Sales % (RHS) 500 35% The prominence of online shopping grew further in 2020 on the effects of the 450 30% COVID-19 outbreak, for Coupang to gross 400 sales of KRW1.63 trillion in February, a 25% jump of 13% in one month from KRW1.44 350 trillion in January. Other online retailers 300 such as eBay, 11th Street, and SSG are 20% estimated to have seen similar growth. 250 15% 200 ONLINE RETAIL SALES 150 For the past 5 years, the rise in online retail 10% sales has driven parcel volumes to grow 100 5% at an annual rate of 11%. Notably, parcel 50 delivery unit costs - which have been steadily slipping since 2012 - rebounded by - 0% 2015 2016 2017* 2018* 2019* 2%. The gain was largely due to inclusion of *Revision of statistics from 2017; Online retail sales included in “Retail sales not in stores” until 2016 the additional cost of oversized and non- prior to the announcement of dedicated online retail statistics in 2017. standard parcels in the unit cost. Source Statistics Korea Demand for direct purchase fulfillment GRAPH 3: Overview of Fulfillment Services services which shorten delivery times and facilitate effective ways to deal with diversified online orders is also on the rise. Parcel In particular, demand for logistics centers Service by direct purchase fulfillment companies is increasing due to dawn delivery3, which has doubled its market size in 2019 compared Storage Goods Pickup Main Hub Terminal Delivery Delivery Complete to the previous year. The number of rocket Warehouse Terminal delivery centers operated by Coupang, doubled from 85 in 2018 to 168 centers in 2019. Market Kurly, operator of 3 logistics centers in 2018, expanded to 6 centers, with Fulfillment Service 1 Total Container Transport excludes volumes of petroleum, coal, steel, iron ore and other materials which do not affect demand for the logistics centers under analysis. 2 Industrial chemical products which represent over 50% Fulfillment Delivery Delivery Complete of total transport at the Port of Ulsan declined 24% YoY. center 3 Dawn Delivery refers to all services that consists of next- day delivery on previous-night order placement. Source Statistics Korea savills.co.kr/research/ 2 Korea Logistics plans to upgrade its fulfillment services GRAPH 4: Online Retail Sales vs Domestic Parcel Delivery Volumes, 2013 – 2019 by launching the Gimpo Logistics Center, (KRW Trn) Online Retail Sales (LHS) Domestic Parcel Volume (RHS) (10,000 Mn boxes) which is 2.5 times the area of the existing 160 30 centers, by the end of 2020. E-commerce companies which are experiencing larger 140 25 sales volumes because of COVID-19, are reportedly seeking additional logistics 120 centers. 20 Consignment-type fulfillment centers 100 are also in demand. On larger B2C cargo 80 15 volumes, fulfillment centers that can be managed efficiently for shortened delivery 60 times are preferred more than the existing 10 storage-purpose warehouses. E-Bay Korea, 40 provider of “Smile Delivery” services, first 5 introduced fulfillment services in the form 20 of consignments with the 3,600-pyeong in Yongin in 2019 and of 40,000-pyeong - - center in Dongtan of Hwaseong in early 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017* 2018 2019 *Revision of statistics from 2017 2020. Larger fulfillment centers and the Source Statistics Korea improved efficiency of delivery processing has resulted in more exclusive products for GRAPH 5: Domestic Dawn Delivery Market vs Parcel Delivery Volumes, 2015 – 2019 Smile Delivery and delayed deadlines for order placement. (KRW 100 Mn) Total Parcel Volume (LHS) Dawn-Delivery Market Volume (RHS) (KRW 100 Mn) CJ Korea Express, the operator of 70,000 9,000 Asia’s largest mega hub terminal (approx. 89,000 pyeong) in Gonjiam of Gwangju, 8,000 60,000 has established required infrastructure 7,000 for a fulfillment center of 35,000 pyeong 50,000 in the terminal in 2018 and 20,000 pyeong 6,000 is used by CJ O Shopping. LG Household & Healthcare is reported to have recently 40,000 5,000 signed up for fulfillment services with CJ Korea Express. 30,000 4,000 3,000 ONLINE RETAIL SALES BY 20,000 PRODUCT TYPE 2,000 Online retail sales of F&B, formerly small 10,000 1,000 despite accounting for the largest proportion of total retail sales, climbed 26% YoY in - - 2019. Online retail sales of clothing, coming 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 in second after F&B, also increased by 10% Source Korea Integrated Logistics Association, Samsung Securities YoY. F&B which must be fresh and clothing GRAPH 6: Proportion of Online Retail Sales by Product Group, 2017 – 2019 that needs to be tried on showed higher offline volumes in the past, but reliance on 2017 2018 2019 50% online sales has grown sharply due to dawn 45% delivery, improved online marketing, and 45% 42% 41% easy return policies. 40% 36% 35% TOTAL STOCK 29% 30% In the first quarter of 2020, the total GFA 24% 25% of national logistics centers summed to about 12 million pyeong, half of which is 20% 15% concentrated in the Seoul Metropolitan Area 15% (“SMA”, comprising of Seoul, Gyeonggi, and 10% Incheon). Among all centers in the SMA, 5% those exceeding 5,000 pyeong - the preferred 0% type by institutional investors - was surveyed F&B, Clothing Home Cosmetics Footwear, Furniture Books & at 4.6 million pyeong (322 centers). Agriculture, Appliances, Luggage Stationery, Livestock & Electronic & Office NEW SUPPLY Fishery Telecom Appliances Equip., The total GFA of eight logistics centers Computers completed in the SMA during the first quarter of 2020 comes to about 200,000 Source Statistics Korea 3 Korea Logistics pyeong, representing 4% of centers over VACANCY being in highly-preferred locations by 5,000 pyeong in the SMA. New supply, Among new logistics centers in the SMA, tenants, prolonged vacancy in low efficiency which has risen by 17% annually over the high-quality properties that were efficiently centers was noted. Stabilization periods past three years, is projected to slow to 10% built in regions with limited supply reported of new centers averaged around one year, until 2022. The proportion of large centers to be fully pre-leased or leased within three while newly-completed high-quality centers is increasing, due to reasons such as the months of completion. The Jinwi Logistics in regions with supply shortages were tightening of new approval regulations, Center (45,000 pyeong) in Pyeongtaek stabilized within only six months. a rise in land prices, and a preference of developed by Pacific AMC is known to be institutional investors for modern centers, leased to Shinsegae Food for 15 years, and TENANT DISTRICTS as opposed to before 2015 when many small the MQ Logistics Center (14,000 pyeong) Tenants handling products requiring quick and medium-sized centers were developed. developed by MQ Logistics in Namyangju delivery preferred to be closer to Seoul The current trend is forecast to continue. was also fully occupied within three months despite higher rents, while tenants with Prior to 2015, most development was due to a lack of new supply in the region and bulky and storage-oriented products were concentrated in Yongin and Icheon, successful pre-leasing efforts. concentrated in regions with lower rents. southeast regions of Gyeonggi, but due to However, even in the case of new Most fresh food shippers of same-day the recent strengthening of regulations, new developments, vacancy occurred for floors or dawn delivery occupied fulfillment major developments have shifted to other with poor access and centers with narrow centers near Seoul, while the providers of regions. Upon completion of high-quality roads compared to storage area. Despite small-sized expensive items were in centers integrated centers and fulfillment centers with tenants’ preferred characteristics, such as all-storey docking, wide access roads, horizontal plates, high ceiling heights, and GRAPH 7: Online Retail Sales of Total Retail Sales by Product Group, 2019 provision of amenities, the less inefficient older centers are likely to have difficulty competing. Recently, demand for fresh food has grown, resulting in greater interest in cold storage centers. However, due to a recent fire that took place at a cold storage construction site in Icheon (planned for completion in 24% 13% 2020), concerns about fires have re-emerged.