"Korea's healthcare has now risen beyond 'cost-effectiveness' to become a 'global standard'."
On December 29, 2025, the Korea Customs Service officially announced that South Korea has surpassed an annual export amount of $70 billion (approximately 980 trillion won) for the first time in history. While traditional export powerhouses like semiconductors and shipbuilding remain strong, the true driving force behind this year's economic growth was 'K-Medical 2.0'. Having moved past the '1.0' era focused on plastic surgery and beauty, the Korean medical industry, now armed with AI diagnostics, advanced biomanufacturing, and digital hospital systems, has transformed into an 'essential commodity' responsible for the lives and health of people worldwide. This year, we analyzed the three key achievements of K-Medical that shook the global market.
1. "AI Doctors are Korean"... Rising as a Key Partner in the U.S. 'Cancer Moonshot'
The field that achieved the most remarkable growth this year is medical artificial intelligence (AI). Korean AI powerhouses like Lunit, Vuno, and Coreline Soft have joined the U.S. Biden administration's cancer eradication project, 'Cancer Moonshot', showcasing their presence on the global stage.
In particular, Lunit has begun to penetrate the U.S. market by utilizing the network of Volpara, which it acquired in 2024. As of May 2025, over 200 medical institutions in the U.S. have adopted Lunit's breast cancer diagnostic solution, and more than 1 million breast imaging data are analyzed by Korean AI annually in North America. Lunit's 'Lunit Insight Risk' has received designation as an 'innovative medical device' from the U.S. FDA, heralding the era of precision medicine that predicts cancer risk within the next five years.
Vuno has also established a foothold in the global market by obtaining European CE MDR and UKCA certification for its cardiac arrest prediction solution 'VunoMed DeepCure', while its dementia diagnostic support solution 'DeepBrain' has received U.S. FDA approval, proving diagnostic accuracy on par with local specialists. Coreline Soft has completed a monetization model for its technology by securing insurance reimbursement (CPT code) in the lung cancer screening market in collaboration with founding members of U.S. 'CancerX'.
2. 'Biosecurity Act' Windfall... Songdo Stands Tall as the 'Pharmaceutical Factory' of the World
In the bio sector, geopolitical changes have provided South Korea with a massive opportunity. As the U.S. Congress fully implements the 'Biosecure Act', which restricts transactions with Chinese biotech companies, global big pharma orders have surged towards Korea.
Samsung Biologics recorded an annual cumulative order amount of 6.819 trillion won this year, marking the first time in its history that it has entered the 6 trillion won order era. This is the result of its overwhelming manufacturing capabilities, having secured 17 out of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide as clients. Samsung is not only focusing on simple production but has also fully activated its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) production base, strengthening collaboration with promising domestic biotechs like LIGAND.
Remarkable achievements have also followed in platform technology exports. Alteogen has obtained formulation change approval for Merck's (MSD) immuno-oncology drug 'Keytruda' through its 'ALT-B4' technology, which converts intravenous injections into subcutaneous injection formulations. This technology, which reduces the administration time from several hours to just one minute, has innovatively improved patient convenience and is expected to generate royalty revenues in the trillions.
3. 'Digital Hospital' Built in the Desert... Middle Eastern Love Calls
In Saudi Arabia's 'Vision 2030' project, Korea has established itself as a solid partner. EasyCareTech has expanded the export of its Korean-style Hospital Information System (HIS) 'BestCare 2.0' to private hospitals following those under the Saudi Ministry of Defense, increasing its market share in the Middle Eastern healthcare IT sector.
Naver has begun building a 'digital twin' platform in major Saudi cities, experimenting with integrating it into smart city and healthcare infrastructure. Seoul Asan Medical Center has commenced construction of the 'Asan-UAE Gastroenterology Hospital', a gastroenterology specialty hospital in Dubai, aiming for completion in 2026, while Seoul National University Hospital has extended its contract for the management of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital (SKSH), maintaining trust in Korean healthcare for the tenth year.
Government-level support has also shone through. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has solidified diplomatic foundations for the entry of domestic medical personnel and technology into the Middle East by simplifying the local recognition process for Korean medical licenses (Tier 1 upgrade) through ministerial talks with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
2026, The Year of 'Hyper-Personalized Healthcare'
Experts predict that in 2026, K-Medical will expand its horizons from 'treatment' to 'prevention' and 'management'. The Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) forecasts that biohealth exports will reach an all-time high of $30.4 billion (approximately 42 trillion won) in 2026. Digital therapeutic devices (DTx) that manage diseases with just a smartphone and personalized health management services based on individual genetics are expected to emerge as new export leaders.
Macrogen is leading the popularization of hyper-personalized healthcare through its genetic analysis service 'Gentok' in collaboration with Samsung Health, while Kakao Healthcare is expanding its reach into the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets with its diabetes management platform 'Pasta'. By 2025, K-Medical, which has become an essential engine responsible for humanity's health, has now become a new sustainable growth engine for South Korea that goes beyond the Korean Wave.
