Logistics & Supply Chain Strategy Briefing
STREAMLINE: South Korea’s “National Smart Logistics Strategy” — Lee Jae-myung’s Vision and the Reality of Execution
(June 9, 2025)
Announcing a policy is one thing—executing it is another. Especially when it involves physically relocating government bodies or redesigning entire logistics hubs, the cost of organizational resistance and political friction can be substantial. That’s why focusing first on lower-friction, high-impact strategies—such as launching a T-commerce platform or building smart logistics hubs—may be the most effective path forward for the Lee Jae-myung administration.
South Korea’s new president is already redrawing the nation’s logistics and mobility map. On his fifth day in office, Lee Jae-myung’s government unveiled a blueprint for transforming public logistics infrastructure, centered around the southern port city of Busan. Key plans include relocating HMM (Korea’s largest shipping line) and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan, building a network of inland smart ports, launching a T-commerce channel for small merchants, and expanding urban UAM/autonomous mobility pilot cities.
But it’s not just about direct logistics policies. New regulations around platform dominance, labor protection, and ESG mandates are also reshaping logistics business models—indirectly but powerfully.
❶ Point of View | What’s Changed?
“Logistics is national strategy.” Lee Jae-myung is shifting Korea’s logistics core to Busan—physically and structurally.