{
  "id": 12322980,
  "title": "Lotte Department Store tops $744 mil. in foreign customer sales",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/lotte-department-store-tops-744-mil-in-foreign-customer-sales",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-06T07:07:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20261006/lotte-department-store-tops-744-mil-in-foreign-customer-sales"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a landmark achievement, Lotte Department Store has reported its foreign customer sales nationwide reaching over 1 trillion won, equivalent to $744 million, on Tuesday. This marks the first time a Korean department store operator has attained this significant milestone. The retailer had already surpassed the previous year's total of 734.8 billion won in July alone.\n\nThe surge in foreign sales is attributed to the increasing demand for luxury goods, as well as Korean fashion, food, and cultural experiences. A major contributor to this growth is the Myeong-dong shopping district operations in central Seoul, which generated approximately 520 billion won in sales to foreign customers.\n\nTo attract overseas visitors, the flagship store has expanded its Korean fashion offerings and introduced themed events. Additionally, the Jamsil complex in eastern Seoul saw a doubling of foreign customer sales compared to the previous year. Shoppers from North America and Europe accounted for 35% of these sales, a 15% increase from 2019.\n\nThe growth in foreign sales extends beyond Seoul, with a remarkable 150% increase in sales to foreign shoppers at the Busan stores, up from the previous year. Furthermore, sales at stores in the southwestern region, including Jeonju and Gwangju, doubled during the same period.",
  "summary": "Lotte Department Store said its foreign customer sales nationwide surpassed 1 trillion won ($744 million) on Tuesday, making it the first Korean department store operator to reach the milestone. The retailer, which already exceeded last year's total of 734.8 billion won in July, attributed the growth to demand for luxury goods and Korean fashion, food and cultural experiences. Its Myeong-dong…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Department stores set to post record foreign customer sales this year",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/department-stores-set-to-post-record-foreign-customer-sales-this-year-12319811",
        "published": "2026-10-06T06:33:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Department stores set to post record foreign customer sales this year",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/department-stores-set-to-post-record-foreign-customer-sales-this-year",
        "published": "2026-10-06T06:42:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}