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Banseog note · Oct 24, 2026
Lotte Shopping — Department stores earn while marts and online are rebuilt
- Where it stands now
- Restructuring — cutting staff while concentrating money on department stores, malls and online grocery
In 2025, consolidated revenue was KRW 13.7384 trillion (−1.8%) and operating profit KRW 547 billion (+15.6%). In the first half of 2026, revenue was KRW 7.0666 trillion (+3.8%) and operating profit KRW 342.8 billion (+81.5%). Department store revenue in Q2 was KRW 891.2 billion (+9.2%), a record for a second quarter, while the mart business lost KRW 37.8 billion.
On Korea's National Pension Service public workplace data, 17,715 people were on the pension register in August 2026, 734 fewer (−4.0%) than in October 2025. In this period the mart and supermarket businesses (May) and Lotteon (June) took voluntary retirement applications; the department store voluntary retirement program (closed October 5) is not yet reflected. Lotte Hi-Mart, Lotte Home Shopping, Lotte Cultureworks and overseas subsidiaries are separate entities and are excluded.
- Three decisions within a year
- ZETTA online grocery: on August 7, 2026 it started the KRW 200 billion automated fulfillment center in Busan (Ocado system, about 1,000 robots). It plans to build six centers by 2030 for about KRW 1 trillion, and to extend delivery to Daegu and Ulsan in 2027.
- Department stores and malls: the plan is to invest KRW 7 trillion in the mall business by 2030 and grow Timevillas to 15 sites in Korea and abroad (announced 2024-10). Large stores such as the main store and Jamsil, and sales to foreign tourists, are driving results.
- Organization: on November 26, 2025 it abolished the retail business group HQ and replaced the heads of department stores, marts/supermarkets and e-commerce. In 2026 the three divisions took voluntary retirement in turn, but marts and supermarkets said they would hire more than 100 new graduates and experienced staff, and department stores said they would recruit sales, MD and marketing staff.
- Three people it will look for
- Online grocery logistics and automated center operations — Busan, then Daegu and Ulsan in 2027, six sites by 2030
- Department store sales, merchandising (MD) and marketing — new hiring in these fields was announced together with the voluntary retirement notice (2026-09)
- Mall development and leasing (tenant recruitment) and marketing to foreign customers — Timevillas expansion and tourist sales
- For HR
- Three divisions ran voluntary retirement programs in one year. Rather than refilling vacated positions in the same shape as before, select experienced hires suited to the new work, such as logistics automation or mall leasing, and also watch that the remaining core staff do not leave.
- For job seekers
- Experience running food e-commerce fulfillment centers, mall leasing, or marketing to foreign customers fits Lotte Shopping's next investments.
A reading written from public sources. Sources: 2025 results (2026-02-06), Q2 2026 results (2026-08-07), 2026 regular executive appointments (2025-11-26), ZETTA Busan center start-up (2026-08-07, 08-10 coverage), mart and supermarket voluntary retirement (2026-04-29), Lotteon voluntary retirement (2026-06 coverage), department store voluntary retirement (2026-09-21), Timevillas investment plan (2024-10), coverage of National Pension Service register figures (2026-10-12). Team size is from Korea's pension register.