JD Sports to quit South Korean after five years

UK activewear label JD Sports is set to withdraw from South Korea after five years of operation, according to Edaily.

The retailer was reported to have experienced a deepening deficit since the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to the decision. The source said JD Sports Korea had notified all employees of the exit plan.

JD Sports entered South Korea in 2017 through a joint venture deal with South Korean footwear company Shoemarker. The first JD Sports store was opened in April 2018. Currently, the company operates 14 directly managed stores nationwide, including at Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, Seoul and Starfield Goyang.

Meanwhile, the UK retailer has recently been the target of a cyber attack that resulted in unauthorised access to a system containing customer data relating to online orders between November 2018 and October 2020. The affected JD Sports group brands are JD, Size?, Millets, Blacks, Scotts and MilletSport.

Earlier this year, British retailer Frasers Group bought shares in JD Sports for about US$57.7 million, as the Mike Ashley-owned company continues its drive into a more premium market.