Oct 26, 2026
Alibaba Group’s e-commerce platforms generated an estimated 14.17 trillion won ($10.4 billion) in production across Korea’s economy last year through sales of Korean-registered brands to Chinese consumers, according to research released Monday. The study by Choi Seong-jin, a professor at Hanyang University, examined how the Chinese marketplaces Taobao and Tmall, along with other Alibaba platforms, help Korean companies reach overseas customers and expand domestic business opportunities. Transactions involving Korean-registered brands on Taobao and Tmall totaled about 7.1 trillion won in 2025, while sales attributed to Korea after adjustments for overseas distribution and service margins amounted to about 5.43 trillion won, the research found. The estimated domestic value-added effect was 5.06 trillion won, while related employment was estimated at 42,300 jobs. “Overseas sales of Korean brands through global online platforms can expand export opportunities while creating new demand for domestic industries, including raw-material suppliers, packaging manufacturers and logistics servi