Chinese tech giants Xiaomi, BYD, Roborock, and AliExpress are ramping up efforts to enter the South Korean market, signaling a strategic push into one of Asia’s most competitive arenas, Tech in Asia reported on January 13. Xiaomi established a South Korean subsidiary in late 2024 and launched an online store offering products such as smartphones, TVs, robot vacuums, power banks, and wearables. A press conference scheduled for January 15, 2025, is expected to reveal plans for an offline store in Seoul, directly challenging Samsung. Similarly, BYD debuted its passenger cars on January 11, supported by six new dealerships across Seoul, Incheon, Jeju Island, and other regions. Meanwhile, Roborock opened its second flagship store on January 1, 2025, at the Starfield Goyang shopping mall in Gyeonggi Province, solidifying its retail footprint.
In addition to these moves, AliExpress is enhancing its e-commerce presence in South Korea through a joint venture between Alibaba and Shinsegae Group. The collaboration integrates with the local online marketplace Gmarket, aiming to boost AliExpress’s competitiveness in South Korea’s crowded online retail space.
The Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute (MIC) forecasts that AI smartphone penetration will reach 31% in 2025, driven by the trickle-down of flagship AI features to mid-range devices from brands like Apple and Qualcomm. However, Chinese companies face hurdles as geopolitical tensions and tariffs from the U.S., EU, Turkey, and Canada on Chinese EV imports continue to fragment the global supply chain. MIC predicts that by 2025, the EV ecosystem will likely divide into U.S.-centric and non-U.S. systems, presenting both challenges and opportunities for Chinese tech brands.