乐天免税店恢复与中国代购商交易

Core Viewpoint - Lotte Duty Free has resumed business with Chinese purchasing agents, coinciding with South Korea's visa waiver policy for Chinese tour groups from September 29 to June 30, 2026, reversing its earlier decision to suspend such transactions [1][2] Group 1: Business Resumption - Lotte Duty Free was the first in the South Korean retail sector to completely cut off all purchasing agent transactions in January, citing structural adjustments to improve profit margins [1] - The company clarified that the January measures were not a total rejection of all business with Chinese purchasing agents, but rather a halt to unprofitable transactions, with current dealings contingent on ensuring profitability [2] Group 2: Market Performance - Since June, sales from Chinese purchasing agents have steadily increased, particularly in the cosmetics category, with Lotte's sales to these agents reaching hundreds of billions of Korean won last month and continuing to grow [1] - In the first half of 2025, South Korea's cosmetics exports reached $5.5 billion (approximately 39.1 billion RMB), marking a five-year high, with skincare products accounting for the largest share at $4.11 billion (approximately 29.2 billion RMB) [2] - China remains the largest export market for South Korean cosmetics, with export value amounting to $1.08 billion (approximately 7.7 billion RMB) [2]