S Korea's Shinsegae to set up joint venture with Alibaba

SEOUL, Dec 27 (Reuters): South Korean retailer Shinsegae plans to set up a joint venture with Alibaba International, Shinsegae affiliate E-Mart said on Thursday.

The joint venture will be formed partly by Shinsegae investing its 100% stake in South Korean e-commerce platform Gmarket, it said in a regulatory filing.

AliExpress Korea and Gmarket will be incorporated into the joint venture, which will be set up in 2025. But the two platforms will continue to be operated independently, Shinsegae said.

In November, Alibaba Group Holding missed analysts' estimates for quarterly sales as Chinese consumers cut back on spending with the world's second-largest economy struggling amid a property sector crisis and increased youth job insecurity.