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The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety placed the 2025 export total at 15.5 trillion won. Biopharmaceuticals contributed 7.64 billion dollars, representing 73 percent of all drug shipments abroad. Production of these high-value items rose 11.2 percent to 7.02 trillion won while overall pharmaceutical output set a record of 33.85 trillion won, the highest since authorities began compiling the data in 1998.
Major destinations for South Korean biologics included the United States, which led the list, along with Switzerland, Hungary, the Netherlands and Germany. Celltrion stood out among manufacturers by surpassing 3 trillion won in production for the first time. The ministry assessment found that these results point to a permanent structural shift in the industry’s focus toward high-value biopharma exports built on established global competitiveness in biosimilars.
Imports of pharmaceutical products increased 5.9 percent to 8.93 billion dollars, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.51 billion dollars for the year. The domestic market grew by a modest 0.03 percent to 31.71 trillion won. Quasi-drug sales posted a stronger 4.9 percent gain, according to the same official statistics.
On Jan. 12, 2026, the Invest Korea portal detailed how the milestone would be leveraged at an upcoming event tied to the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. Thirty-six Korean ventures were scheduled to participate in pitching sessions, B2B meetings and open innovation forums with international partners including AstraZeneca, Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins. KOTRA President Kang described K-Bio as a core export sector that authorities would use to push the country into the top five global pharmaceutical exporters. The agency outlined consulting support for U.S. market entry as part of the program.
Industry data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity indicated that pharmaceutical products ranked as the 11th most exported item from South Korea in 2025. Earlier benchmarks showed steady growth in the sector over the past decade as government support for biotechnology intensified following the COVID-19 pandemic. The combination of export success and production records has reinforced South Korea’s position in international pharmaceutical supply chains.
A separate analysis by Spherical Insights projected that the South Korean pharmaceutical market would expand to 30.2 billion dollars by 2035 with a compound annual growth rate of 2.88 percent. This outlook incorporates continued strength in biopharmaceutical innovation and export performance. Key vendors such as AbbVie and AstraZeneca maintain significant presence in the market alongside domestic leaders.
