Lotte Group
A South Korean-Japanese conglomerate whose businesses span food, retail, chemicals, hotels, construction, entertainment, logistics, and finance.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Lotte Group is a South Korean-Japanese corporate group with major operations in food, retail, chemicals, tourism, hospitality, construction, manufacturing, logistics, entertainment, and finance. The group has two principal corporate centers: Lotte Corporation in Seoul and Lotte Holdings in Tokyo. Its businesses are connected by the Lotte name but operate through a large collection of separately incorporated subsidiaries and affiliates. The group was founded by Shin Kyuk-ho, a Korean businessman who established a confectionery company in Japan in 1948. The name Lotte was inspired by Charlotte, a character in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther. Shin later expanded into South Korea, establishing Lotte Confectionery in Seoul in 1967. This South Korean expansion became the foundation for the diversified chaebol-style group that developed over subsequent decades. Lotte's consumer-facing portfolio includes confectionery, beverages, liquor, convenience stores, department stores, supermarkets, electronics retail, duty-free shops, online commerce, hotels, resorts, theme parks, cinemas, and professional sports teams. Its industrial portfolio includes petrochemicals, fine chemicals, construction, aluminum, logistics, rental services, and other manufacturing activities. The group therefore combines mass-market consumer brands with large-scale industrial and infrastructure operations. Important retail and service businesses include Lotte Department Store, Lotte Shopping, Lotte Mart, Lotte Super, Lotte Hi-Mart, Lotte On, Lotte Duty Free, Lotte Hotels & Resorts, Lotte World, Lotte Cultureworks, and Korea Seven. Food-related affiliates include Lotte Confectionery, Lotte Chilsung Beverage, Lotte Liquor, Lotte GRS, and Lotte Asahi. Major industrial affiliates include Lotte Chemical, Lotte Fine Chemical, Lotte MCC, Lotte Aluminium, Lotte Ineos Chemical, and Lotte Construction. The group also has a long association with professional baseball. The Chiba Lotte Marines have been associated with Lotte in Japan since 1971, while the Lotte Giants of Busan have competed in South Korea since 1982. Lotte's large-scale developments include Lotte World Tower in Seoul, one of the group's most prominent symbols and a major mixed-use commercial and tourism project. Lotte is a family-controlled conglomerate and has faced governance, succession, and legal controversies, particularly during the dispute between Shin Kyuk-ho's sons over control of the group's Japanese and South Korean entities. Shin Dong-bin became the central figure in the South Korean group, while the dispute contributed to public scrutiny of cross-shareholdings, family management, and the separation of the group's corporate structures. Despite these challenges, Lotte remains an active multinational group with a particularly strong presence in South Korea and Japan.
History
Lotte's origins date to 1948, when Shin Kyuk-ho established a confectionery business in Japan. Shin was a Korean businessman living in Japan, and he selected the name Lotte after Charlotte, a central character in Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther. The name gave the company a distinctive literary identity and later became associated with a broad consumer brand portfolio. The business expanded into Shin's ancestral country with the creation of Lotte Confectionery in Seoul on April 3, 1967. The South Korean operation grew beyond confectionery into beverages, retail, tourism, hotels, entertainment, construction, chemicals, and finance. This diversification followed the development pattern of major South Korean family-controlled conglomerates, in which a core consumer business became the base for expansion into related and unrelated sectors. Retail became one of Lotte's most visible South Korean activities. The group developed department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, electronics outlets, duty-free shops, and digital commerce platforms. It also built large commercial and leisure destinations, including Lotte World and Lotte World Tower. Hotels and resorts extended the group into tourism, while cinemas and other entertainment businesses strengthened its role in consumer services. At the same time, Lotte established substantial industrial operations. Lotte Chemical and related companies entered petrochemicals, polymers, specialty chemicals, and materials. Lotte Construction, Lotte Aluminium, logistics companies, rental services, and other manufacturing affiliates broadened the group beyond retail and food. The resulting portfolio linked everyday consumer products with industrial supply chains, property development, and infrastructure. Lotte maintained important operations in both Japan and South Korea. The modern group is organized around Lotte Holdings in Tokyo and Lotte Corporation in Seoul, although the exact relationships among affiliates have been an important subject of governance discussion. The group also expanded internationally through retail, food, hotels, chemicals, and tourism-related investments. The family's control of the group became a major public issue in the 2010s. A succession conflict between Shin Kyuk-ho's sons, Shin Dong-bin and Shin Dong-joo, exposed disagreements over the leadership of Lotte Holdings and the wider group. The dispute coincided with investigations into alleged misconduct and questions about the group's cross-shareholding arrangements. Shin Dong-bin ultimately became the dominant leader of the South Korean group, while the founder's role diminished. Lotte also faced legal and political scrutiny in South Korea, including investigations connected with the country's broader political influence scandals. These events affected senior management, public perceptions, and discussions about chaebol governance. Nevertheless, Lotte continued operating as a diversified multinational group. Its present identity rests on a combination of food and beverage brands, major retail formats, hospitality and entertainment assets, industrial companies, and family-controlled corporate institutions in Japan and South Korea.
- 2017
Shin Dong-bin becomes chairman
[1]Shin Dong-bin assumes the chairmanship of the South Korean Lotte group after the succession struggle.
- 2017
Lotte World Tower opens
[3]The Lotte World Tower complex in Seoul becomes one of the group's most prominent property and tourism developments.
- 2016
South Korean prosecutors investigate Lotte
[2]Investigators examine alleged misconduct and governance issues involving the group and its affiliates.
- 2015
Succession conflict becomes public
[1]A dispute between Shin Dong-bin and Shin Dong-joo brings the group's family ownership and Japan-South Korea governance structure into public view.
- 1982
Lotte Giants are established
[1]The Lotte Giants begin their professional baseball history in Busan, South Korea.
- 1971
Lotte enters Japanese professional baseball
[1]Lotte becomes associated with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan.
- 1967
South Korean expansion begins
[1]Lotte Confectionery is established in Seoul, providing the foundation for the group's growth in South Korea.
- 1948
Lotte is founded in Japan
[1]Shin Kyuk-ho establishes the original Lotte confectionery business in Japan.
Products and positioning
Diversified South Korean-Japanese conglomerate combining mass-market consumer brands, retail networks, hospitality and entertainment assets, and industrial businesses.
Food and confectionery · 1967
Lotte Confectionery
Lotte's original South Korean food business and one of the group's foundational operations. It produces and markets confectionery and snack products and helped establish the Lotte name in the South Korean mass market after the company was created in Seoul in 1967.
Beverages
Lotte Chilsung Beverage
A major Lotte beverage business serving the South Korean market. Its portfolio covers non-alcoholic drinks and related beverage categories, complementing the group's confectionery, liquor, food-service, and retail activities.
Department stores
Lotte Department Store
Lotte's department-store business is one of the group's most visible retail operations. The format combines branded merchandise, food, lifestyle goods, dining, and services in large urban commercial locations in South Korea and selected overseas markets.
Discount retail and supermarkets
Lotte Mart
A large-format supermarket and discount-retail chain serving everyday grocery, household, and consumer needs. Lotte Mart has been an important part of the group's expansion from department stores into broader mass-market retail.
Travel retail
Lotte Duty Free
The group's duty-free retail business operates in travel-oriented locations and serves international visitors with products such as cosmetics, fashion, liquor, and luxury goods. It links Lotte's retail network with its tourism and hospitality businesses.
Hotels and resorts
Lotte Hotels & Resorts
Lotte's hospitality platform operates hotels and resorts under the Lotte name. The business supports the group's tourism strategy and is connected with its duty-free, convention, property-development, and entertainment operations.
Theme parks and entertainment
Lotte World
A major Lotte leisure and entertainment complex in Seoul. Lotte World forms part of the group's strategy of combining retail, attractions, hospitality, dining, and property development in integrated visitor destinations.
Chemicals
Lotte Chemical
The group's principal petrochemical and materials platform, with activities spanning chemical feedstocks, polymers, and industrial materials. It represents Lotte's substantial diversification into manufacturing and industrial supply chains.
Property development · 2017
Lotte World Tower
A landmark mixed-use development in Seoul incorporating offices, residences, retail, hospitality, observation facilities, and other visitor-oriented uses. The tower is both a major property asset and a visual symbol of Lotte's scale and diversification.
Professional sports · 1982
Lotte Giants
A professional baseball team based in Busan, South Korea. The team has been associated with Lotte since 1982 and provides the group with a prominent sports and regional identity.
Professional sports · 1971
Chiba Lotte Marines
A Japanese professional baseball team associated with Lotte since 1971. Its role reflects the group's long-standing institutional and commercial links between Japan and South Korea.
Controversies
2017
Political influence and bribery-related proceedings
Lotte and senior executives were drawn into South Korea's broader political influence investigation, including allegations involving donations and business-related favors. The matter resulted in criminal proceedings and continued scrutiny of chaebol-government relationships.
2016
Investigation into Lotte governance and alleged misconduct
South Korean prosecutors investigated alleged embezzlement, breach of duty, and related governance issues involving Lotte's founder, family members, and affiliates.
2015
Lotte family succession dispute
A leadership conflict between Shin Dong-bin and Shin Dong-joo over control of Lotte Holdings and the wider group exposed the complexity of Lotte's family ownership and cross-border corporate structure.
Marketing campaigns
- The sweetheart of your mouth, Lotte
Japan
Lotte's long-running Japanese marketing line presents the company as an affectionate, familiar confectionery brand. The message reinforces the group's original food identity and its emotional association with everyday consumption.
Outcome. Enduring brand slogan
Brand decisions
2017
Use Lotte World Tower as an integrated commercial and tourism destinationStrategyBackground
Lotte had expanded from consumer goods and retail into large-scale property development and visitor services.
Action taken
The group opened Lotte World Tower in Seoul as a mixed-use development combining retail, offices, residences, hospitality, observation, and entertainment.
Aftermath
The tower became a major landmark associated with Lotte's diversified business model.
2015
Reassert control during the family succession struggleOtherBackground
The dispute between Shin Dong-bin and Shin Dong-joo challenged the leadership of Lotte Holdings and raised questions about control of the wider group.
Action taken
Shin Dong-bin consolidated his position across the South Korean group and its relevant governance bodies.
Aftermath
The conflict contributed to investigations, public criticism of family-controlled governance, and pressure for greater transparency.
1967
Expand the Japanese confectionery business into South KoreaStrategyBackground
Shin Kyuk-ho sought to build a major business in South Korea while retaining the company's Japanese origins and operations.
Action taken
Lotte established Lotte Confectionery in Seoul and used food manufacturing as the base for later diversification.
Aftermath
The South Korean operation became the foundation of the modern Lotte conglomerate.
Recent events
Lotte acquires Ministop Korea[5]
Reported:
Lotte said it acquired a 100-percent stake in Ministop Korea for 313.37 billion won. The deal includes 2,600 Ministop convenience store outlets and 12 logistics centers.
Lotte selected as preferred bidder for Ministop Korea[6]
Reported:
Lotte Group was selected as the preferred bidder to acquire Ministop Korea in a proposed ₩300 billion deal; the acquisition had not yet been completed.
LOTTE wins Red Dot 2021 Design Award for Care Free Zone[7]
Reported:
LOTTE won a Red Dot 2021 Design Award in the material design solution category for its Care Free Zone.
- Unconfirmed
Dunhill opens two stores in South Korea[8]
Reported:
Dunhill opened two retail locations in South Korea, within Lotte department stores in Seoul’s Jamsil district and Busan.
Sources8 sources
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