South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang has rolled out a beta version of its English-language interface on its mobile app, in a bid to improve accessibility for the growing population of residents here who have difficulty using the app in Korean.
According to the company on Sunday, the English service enables users to browse and search for products, review detailed descriptions and complete purchases, all in English. The company explained that a dedicated translation team reviews and refines the English content daily to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Coupang said the service aims to cater to a growing number of English-speaking users on its app, with the goal of improving accessibility and expanding the scope of its services. As of the first quarter, the company reported 23.4 million active customers, up 9 percent from a year earlier, though it does not track how many are foreign nationals.
Indeed, the move comes amid a steady rise in the nation’s foreign resident population.
According to data from the Ministry of Justice, the number of residents of foreign nationality in the country reached a record high of 2.65 million last year, up 11 percent from the previous year. This means that roughly 5 out of every 100 people in Korea are foreign nationals.
An increase in foreign residents outside Seoul and the capital region also aligns with Coupang’s ongoing expansion of its fast delivery network across the country.
“Coupang has consistently worked to enhance and innovate our services to offer a better shopping experience for all customers,” a company official said. “We’ll keep incorporating diverse customer feedback to deliver unique value and greater convenience.”
As for future plans, the official said there are no immediate plans to support additional languages besides English.
minmin@heraldcorp.com
