The Korea Post headquarters at the Government Complex Sejong in Sejong Special Self-Governing City. (Image courtesy of Korea Post)
SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s postal service said it is seeking to broaden its role in public administration and logistics as part of a sweeping effort to shore up its finances and reposition itself as a platform for delivering government and social services.
The Korea Post said at a policy briefing on Tuesday that it plans to identify and take on additional government-commissioned tasks—including vacant-home surveys and resident registration checks—while pushing for legal revisions that would formally recognize the agency as a public-service delivery hub, similar to its existing welfare-related mail services.
As part of a pilot program, postal workers will check whether homes are unoccupied during deliveries and share the information with the Korea Real Estate Board, with trial runs planned in cities including Gimcheon, in North Gyeongsang Province.
To expand mail access points, Korea Post said it will partner with convenience store chains and increase the number of so-called “eco mailboxes”—used to collect items such as expired medicines and used coffee capsules—to 1,000 nationwide.
The agency also plans to build a new logistics center in the Seoul metropolitan area, expand next-day delivery services and enter the business of managing warehouses for small and midsize shippers.
A postal worker is delivering mail. (Yonhap)
Financial services are another focus. Starting this year, post offices will be allowed to act as banking agents, enabling residents in areas without bank branches to access in-person services. Korea Post said it will develop policy-oriented and consumer-focused financial products, expand fintech partnerships and diversify insurance offerings.
The agency also outlined plans to accelerate its adoption of artificial intelligence, including automating logistics operations and testing unmanned, AI-powered post offices.
It said it would strengthen cybersecurity measures, such as automatic data encryption, and upgrade disaster recovery systems following a fire at the National Information Resources Service last year that temporarily disrupted its e-commerce platform.
Separately, the Korea Post Logistics Agency said it will explore new businesses, including customs clearance services for overseas online sales by small exporters, while testing autonomous trucks and AI-based safety systems for cargo handling.
At the briefing, Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon urged Korea Post to step up efforts to reduce chronic postal losses and to strengthen protections against financial fraud, particularly for vulnerable populations, as its financial services expand.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
