South Korea is moving to broaden market access for K-consumer goods in China through a partnership linked to Douyin, the country’s largest short-form video and live-commerce platform. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) announced that it has launched an integrated support program designed to help Korean small and midsize companies enter China’s domestic market through cross-border e-commerce logistics, digital marketing, and livestream commerce.
On January 23, KOTRA hosted the “Cross-Border E-Commerce Logistics Seminar Using Douyin” at its headquarters in Seoul. The event was organized for Korean small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) and mid-sized firms seeking to expand sales into China through online distribution channels. According to KOTRA, the seminar also marked the beginning of a structured initiative that combines logistics operations and platform-based marketing into a single support package.
KOTRA said the delegation from Douyin was led by the platform’s Head of Overseas Business and included more than 90 participants, such as procurement managers, local vendors, and Chinese influencers. The visiting group reportedly comprised five category procurement managers covering beauty, pet products, fashion, and baby and children’s items, alongside 39 vendor companies and 31 China-based influencers.
During the seminar, KOTRA presented practical guidance built around its cross-border logistics infrastructure in Qingdao, Shandong Province, where it operates an overseas joint logistics center. Sessions covered key consumption trends in China’s retail market, entry strategies by product category, and Douyin’s 2026 marketing direction, including support policies intended for Korean brands and exporters.
KOTRA also highlighted the use of influencer-led livestream commerce as a direct-to-consumer channel for K-products. As part of the program, selected Korean products—including K-beauty and household goods—were promoted and sold in real time through livestream commerce formats. KOTRA explained that products featured in these sales demonstrations had been pre-stocked in the Qingdao bonded zone, enabling orders to be processed and delivered domestically to consumers in China without international shipping delays.
Following the seminar, KOTRA operated on-site consulting sessions focused on operational bottlenecks frequently faced by exporters, such as customs clearance procedures, returns management, last-mile delivery, and inventory control. The agency also arranged one-on-one business meetings with Douyin vendors and influencers to support marketplace entry discussions, export consultations, and influencer matching for campaign collaborations.
A representative of a Korean household goods manufacturer currently exporting to China was quoted by KOTRA as saying that offline market expansion often requires high costs and significant time investment, while access to a large-scale platform combined with logistics and influencer marketing support could reduce barriers for smaller companies.
KOTRA added that since late 2025, it has established 10 logistics desks dedicated to K-consumer goods, including operations in Qingdao, and has expanded logistics services for priority categories such as beauty, food, household goods, and fashion. The agency’s one-stop service model includes bonded warehousing, Chinese-language labeling, packaging, customs handling, and delivery—components widely considered essential for scalable cross-border e-commerce operations.
Hwang Jae-won, Head of KOTRA’s China Regional Headquarters, said the seminar was intended to connect improving bilateral economic conditions with tangible business execution on the ground. He added that KOTRA plans to strengthen support in collaboration with Douyin by integrating logistics and marketing services to help Korean companies establish stable operations in China’s e-commerce ecosystem.
Companies interested in joining KOTRA’s “One-Stop Logistics Support Program for Cross-Border E-Commerce to China” can apply through the KOTRA website from January 26 to February 6.
