Lotte Group Reclaims Fifth Place in South Korea's Corporate Rankings

Lotte Group has reclaimed its rank as the fifth-largest conglomerate in South Korea, as per the Fair Trade Commission's (FTC) 2025 designated corporate group rankings released on November 2. Under the leadership of Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Lotte ascended from sixth place last year.

This resurgence marks a recovery for Lotte, which had fallen to sixth place in 2022 for the first time in 13 years. The group had consistently held the fifth position in South Korea's corporate hierarchy from 2010 to 2023. The slip last year resulted from a sudden surge in POSCO’s asset base, which pushed Lotte downward in the rankings.

Remarkably, the asset gap between POSCO, then ranked fifth, and Lotte, ranked sixth, was a narrow 3 trillion won, leading to speculations about a potential shift in rankings.

Lotte Boosts Asset Base Through Land Revaluation

This year, Lotte's land asset reassessment significantly inflated its total assets. The group’s asset base expanded from 129.8 trillion won in 2022 to 143.3 trillion won in 2023, reflecting a 10.4% increase.

Lotte's revaluation drive was spurred by liquidity concerns that surfaced late last year. Lotte Shopping, a key subsidiary, reassessed approximately 7.6 trillion won worth of land assets, the first such move in 15 years. By February 2023, the reassessed land assets had surged by 9.5 trillion won.

Corporate Rankings Shifts: Shinsegae Stable, Coupang Advances

Shinsegae Group, led by Lee Myung-hee, sustained its 11th-place position, in line with last year. However, the group's assets grew from 62 trillion won to 63.9 trillion won, indicating a modest 2.9% increase.

E-commerce giant Coupang made significant gains, climbing from 27th to 25th place this year. Coupang's assets surged from 17.6 trillion won in 2022 to 22.3 trillion won in 2023, marking an impressive 26% growth—the highest growth rate among retail companies.

Other Conglomerates' Movements in Rankings

Hyundai Department Store Group, headed by Chung Ji-sun, slipped by two spots from 24th to 26th, with marginal asset growth of 0.3%. On the other hand, E-Land Group, led by Park Sung-soo, ascended from 48th to 46th, with a 6.6% increase in assets from 10.9 trillion won to 11.6 trillion won.

Amorepacific Group, chaired by Suh Kyung-bae, moved up from 59th to 58th place. Global Sae-A, led by Kim Woong-ki, saw significant advancement, jumping from 70th to 61st. BGF, under Chairman Hong Seok-jo, rose from 77th to 73rd.

Conversely, Youngone Corporation led by Sung Ki-hak experienced the sharpest decline among major firms, plummeting from 73rd to 92nd, a dramatic 19-spot fall.

The reshuffling of South Korea's corporate rankings mirrors the evolving market dynamics and strategic moves by major conglomerates, reshaping their competitive stance in one of Asia's most vibrant economies.