Moon Gap-saeng, director of resource circulation at the Korea Environment Corp., and Kim Jeong-hee, head of CJ Logistics' TES Logistics Technology Research Institute, pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony for the establishment and operation of an AI-based smart appropriate-packaging system. From left: Moon and Kim. [CJ Logistics]
Moon Gap-saeng, director of resource circulation at the Korea Environment Corp., and Kim Jeong-hee, head of CJ Logistics' TES Logistics Technology Research Institute, pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony for the establishment and operation of an AI-based smart appropriate-packaging system. From left: Moon and Kim. [CJ Logistics]

CJ Logistics has joined forces with the Korea Environment Corp. to build an AI-powered verification system for excessive packaging. The initiative uses AI to analyze product dimensions and packaging material data to determine whether packaging meets regulatory standards, with the goal of cutting unnecessary packaging waste.

CJ Logistics announced Monday that it signed an MOU with the Korea Environment Corp. on Friday at its headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to establish and operate an AI-based smart appropriate-packaging system. The signing was attended by Moon Gap-saeng, director of resource circulation at the Korea Environment Corp., and Kim Jeong-hee, head of CJ Logistics' TES Logistics Technology Research Institute.

As parcel delivery and e-commerce volumes have grown, reducing packaging waste has emerged as a key challenge for the logistics industry. Companies must maintain safety during delivery while complying with excessive-packaging regulations — a combination that has made on-site implementation difficult.

The MOU focuses on creating a public-private cooperation model to curb excessive packaging at the packaging stage itself, before products leave logistics facilities. CJ Logistics will upgrade its proprietary AI-based packaging assessment solution, PackCheck, while the Korea Environment Corp. will support the effort by reviewing the validity of analysis results, quantifying regulatory standards and conducting on-site inspections.

PackCheck determines whether a product's void-fill ratio — the proportion of empty space inside a package — meets regulatory requirements, drawing on data including product information, dimensions and packaging material type. When a package falls short of the standard, the solution also recommends improvements. CJ Logistics operates the system across 26 logistics centers nationwide and completed patent and trademark applications for it in April.

Currently, verifying whether packaging is excessive relies heavily on manual checks by accredited inspection bodies, a process that takes time and imposes costs on companies. CJ Logistics believes that an AI-based verification system would improve both the efficiency and consistency of packaging assessments.

The two parties also plan to introduce a smart appropriate-packaging certification program. The aim is to make it easier for companies to confirm compliance with packaging standards through the AI solution and to refine the criteria and procedures needed to apply regulations on the ground.

They will also establish an AI appropriate-packaging verification operating committee bringing together industry, academia, experts, and civic and private organizations. The committee will handle technology verification, discussions on regulatory improvements and the collection of on-site feedback — a mechanism to strengthen the objectivity and credibility of AI-generated packaging assessments.

CJ Logistics plans to use the MOU as an opportunity to expand field testing of PackCheck and apply it to improving packaging processes at its logistics centers. Reducing packaging material use is expected to cut not only waste but also logistics costs.

"This collaboration is a meaningful first step for the public and private sectors to work together, using AI technology to spread a culture of appropriate packaging and promote resource circulation," Kim said. "We will continuously upgrade PackCheck's verification system through field testing to secure the technology's reliability and objectivity, and develop it into an appropriate-packaging standard built on PackCheck."


kwater@heraldcorp.com