Lead

South Korea's pharmaceutical exports surpassed the $10 billion mark for the first time last year, while production reached a new record high, according to data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The growth was led by biopharmaceuticals, which continue to expand their global footprint.

Coverage Comparison

Two separate reports from Yonhap News Agency, citing government data, outline the sector's performance. One report, dated July 2, details the full-year results for 2025, showing that South Korean companies exported $10.44 billion worth of pharmaceuticals, up 12.4 percent from the previous year. Imports rose 5.9 percent to $8.93 billion, yielding a trade surplus of $1.56 billion, up 41.9 percent on-year and the highest on record.

The other report, dated July 7, focuses on biopharmaceutical exports for the first half of 2026. It estimates that exports of biopharmaceutical products reached $4.5 billion, up 15.3 percent from the same period last year, and accounted for 86.5 percent of all pharmaceutical exports of $5.2 billion.

Both reports attribute the growth to the rising competitiveness of local biosimilar producers and their contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) capabilities.

Key Claims

  • Total pharmaceutical exports surpassed $10 billion for the first time in 2025, reaching $10.44 billion, as reported by Yonhap citing the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
  • Biopharmaceutical exports for the first half of 2026 are estimated at $4.5 billion, up 15.3 percent year-on-year, according to the same ministry.
  • Biopharmaceuticals accounted for 86.5 percent of all pharmaceutical exports in the first half, per Yonhap.
  • Biopharmaceutical products were exported to 163 countries as of June, with Switzerland being the largest market at $770 million, followed by the United States at $610 million and Hungary at $600 million.
  • Recombinant protein drugs were the top biopharmaceutical export category at $3.97 billion, followed by toxins and antitoxins at $280 million and vaccines at $120 million.
  • Pharmaceutical production in 2025 reached 33.8 trillion won, up 3 percent on-year, marking the highest annual figure since the government began compiling such statistics in 1998.
  • The trade surplus from pharmaceuticals rose 41.9 percent on-year to $1.56 billion in 2025, the highest on record.
  • Four companies, including Celltrion Inc. and Hanmi Pharm Co., surpassed 1 trillion won in annual production in 2025. Celltrion's production grew 27.6 percent to top 3 trillion won, becoming the first local company to exceed that threshold.

Outlook

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated it will work to maintain export momentum in the second half of the year through regulatory innovation, information sharing, and active trade talks with major importers. Annual drug production growth averaged 7.3 percent over the past five years, outpacing the country's GDP growth of 4.6 percent, the ministry said.