Joonggonara, a major re-commerce platform founded in 2003, boasts over 20 million registered users. The platform has transformed dormant household items into valuable resources, establishing a foundation for the domestic asset liquidity market.
Recently, Joonggonara has significantly enhanced its 'AI data-based trust technology' and 'customer protection measures,' marking another major leap forward. At the forefront of this initiative is CEO Choi In-wook, whose management philosophy prioritizes customer trust.
Since taking office in April 2024, Choi has focused on creating an environment where anyone can trade safely, easily, and quickly. He stated, "Joonggonara's core competitiveness lies in the trust system that allows users to trade with confidence. The platform must proactively ensure customer safety and enhance transaction convenience."
To achieve this, Joonggonara unified its transaction system into a 'Secure Payment (Escrow)' system centered on its app and website last September. Choi explained that the full implementation of secure payments has established an environment where users can concentrate on trading with peace of mind. Additionally, the company operates a 'Secure Compensation System' that guarantees up to 2 million won in case of losses, providing a dual safety measure for customer protection.
Innovation in user convenience through technology is also accelerating. The introduction of the AI-based 'AI Self-Inspection' service allows users to automatically analyze and register the specifications and condition of products simply by taking photos. This has nearly doubled the purchase conversion rate, and following a complete app overhaul at the end of July, the time required for settlements has been reduced by 35%, while the automatic purchase confirmation period has been shortened to three days, creating the 'fastest cash conversion environment.' The company is working towards its declared mission for 2026: to be the platform where anyone can convert assets into cash quickly and safely.
These improvements in trust technology and secure services have garnered a strong positive response from users. The number of transactions involving high-value assets, such as luxury watches, bicycles, MacBooks, and professional equipment priced over 4 million won, has more than doubled compared to the previous year. Thanks to these achievements, Joonggonara reached a significant milestone in August, recording its first-ever operating profit in the first half of the year since its establishment.
Choi remarked, "The achievement of profitability is thanks to customers who trust and use Joonggonara's secure trading environment. We will continue to innovate in ways that customers can feel, including enhancing AI-based fraud pattern detection and launching the 'Doorstep Delivery' service next month." Below is a Q&A with Choi.
- What is the core of the AI-based fraud pattern detection technology you are developing, and what is its current status?
"It is not just about judging individual products or isolated keywords. The key is to comprehensively analyze unusual signs and repetitive behavior patterns that emerge throughout the product registration and transaction process to preemptively filter out transactions with a high risk of fraud. We are currently working on enhancing the detection model and applying the service based on accumulated transaction data. Our goal is to strengthen preventive capabilities to eliminate the occurrence of fraud rather than relying on post-incident compensation."
- What is the actual implementation status and significance of the Secure Compensation System, which guarantees up to 2 million won?
"Since July, we have increased the compensation limit from the previous 1 million won to 2 million won. However, the fraud occurrence rate for secure payments is very low at 0.09% (9 out of 10,000 transactions). If the secure payment process is followed correctly, it is difficult for fraud to occur, so the number of actual compensation claims or executions is not high. The essence of the Secure Compensation System is to guarantee a preventive system that reduces the likelihood of reaching the point of needing compensation, rather than focusing on how much compensation one can receive."
- How does the 'AI Self-Inspection' service work, and what are its results?
"When a seller uploads a product photo, AI machine learning automatically assesses exterior scratches, damage, and LCD condition, displaying the results on the detail screen. There is no need to input specifications manually, and the burden of responding to buyer inquiries has decreased. Internal analysis shows that products that have undergone self-inspection have a purchase conversion rate nearly 1.5 times higher than those that have not, and the cancellation rate for transactions is significantly lower."
- I hear that high-value asset transactions have significantly increased recently.
"Yes, the number of transactions involving high-value items over 4 million won has more than doubled compared to last year. Users are beginning to see Joonggonara not just as a channel for disposing of second-hand goods but as an 'asset liquidity platform' for quickly and safely converting high-value items into cash."
- What differentiated features are you preparing to strengthen high-value face-to-face transaction categories?
"We are preparing tailored services for products that require physical verification, such as watches, luxury goods, recreational equipment, and professional gear. Starting this year and continuing into next year, we will sequentially introduce specialized features unique to Joonggonara, such as providing secure transaction maps, supporting freight delivery, and preventing no-shows."
- What notable achievements have you made since taking office in 2024?
"At the end of July this year, we overhauled the app, improving product search and recommendations, reducing settlement time by 35%, and shortening the automatic purchase confirmation period to three days, facilitating 'fast cash conversion.' Attempts at advance payment fraud have decreased by about 54%, ensuring 'safety' and yielding visible results."
- How would you evaluate the achievements of the 'Secure Guarantee Project' announced last year after one year?
"By fully implementing secure payments, we achieved the highest transaction volume in secure payments in the first half of this year, and the number of users has nearly doubled. We have laid the foundation for sustainable growth, which is the first phase of our achievements. In the next phase, we plan to enhance the payment, delivery, and settlement experience and maximize our technological competitiveness with AI-based fraud detection and self-inspection systems."
- What are the features and target customer base of the 'Doorstep Delivery' service launching in September?
"This service allows sellers and buyers in C2C transactions to collect and deliver items at their homes or offices without exposing their personal addresses to each other. We expect it to provide differentiated logistical convenience for female users who are sensitive to personal information exposure and busy professionals."
- What is the current status of app conversion and transaction structure reorganization for Naver Cafe users?
"As of September 2025, product registration and transaction functions have been unified into the app and web, making direct transactions within the cafe impossible. Currently, the cafe functions as a channel for new user influx, product exploration, and community interaction, while actual transactions and payments are completely separated and centered on the app, establishing a complementary structure."
- What are your plans for investment and funding measures following the achievement of profitability in the first half of the year?
"We achieved profitability in the first half of the year through consecutive profits in the first and second quarters. As transaction volumes expand, revenue increases, creating a cycle where this funding leads to further technological investment. With the newly appointed CTO and CFO in June, we aim to refine our AI transition and financial strategies to enhance organizational productivity and establish a foundation for our first annual profit."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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