Ikea plans to open five stores in Korea by 2020 including its very first, which is slated to open in December in Gwangmyeong, western Gyeonggi.

“[The opening of our first store] is only the start,” said Patrick Schurpf, country project manager of Ikea Korea. “It’s our aim that we will be able to be very conveniently accessible for the majority of people in Korea. We envision five stores to be opened by 2020.”

The exact date of the Gwangmyeong store’s opening, however, hasn’t been announced.

“Normally, we don’t really announce the opening date until a little bit later,” Schurpf said. “There’s a lot of preparations for us. We have to import a lot of products and we want to make sure we do it right.

“I think we will soon be able to tell you more details about the opening date. We want the [store] to be authentic as possible and for customers to get a full experience.”

The construction of the first store on a 78,000-square-meter (19-acre) plot is ongoing, according to Cecilia Johansson, the store manager.

There are five levels including three for parking and two for stores and offices. There will be about 10,000 articles under one roof as well as a day care facility for families with children. There will also be 60 different room settings where customers will be able to see and experience Ikea products.

Schurpf explained that the Gwangmyeong store will be housed in an environmentally friendly building, partly using solar energy, light-emitting diode lighting and nontoxic paint. A total of 6 billion won ($5.8 million) has been invested in the sustainable building. He also said there are many windows in the store to bring in natural sunlight.

The Swedish company has also bought 51,200 square meters of land in Goyang, Gyeonggi, which will probably be the site of its second store.

There are other sites being mentioned by industry sources - one in Gangdong District, southeastern Seoul, and also in regional areas like Busan.

The five stores opening in Korea will be added to the 345 stores Ikea was operating in 42 countries as of last year.

Meanwhile, Ikea Korea yesterday disclosed the prices of some 30 products including a stool (5,000 won), a storage closet (50,000 won) and a rug (49,000 won), which will all be displayed at the story room in Yeongdeungpo, western Seoul.

More prices will be unveiled in the three-month duration of the event.

The company also introduced some marketing events including its Ikea Family membership program.

Visitors that sign up for membership will receive the first Korean version of an Ikea catalogue, which will be distributed at the time of the store opening, and also get to attend an Ikea family day before the store opens. They will be offered other benefits like free coffee and discounts on more than 200 products after the store opens.

The opening of Ikea’s second story room - after its first in March at a gallery in Garosugil, southern Seoul - is part of the company’s efforts to make the brand better known.