Matej Mikulic
Research expert covering health, pharma & medtech
Pharmaceutical drugs in South Korea - statistics & facts
South Korea is one of the leading pharmaceutical exporters within the Asia-Pacific region (APAC). In 2022, it achieved an export value of around 8.1 billion U.S. dollars, with the United States being the biggest export partner. The country also consumed more pharmaceutical drugs than the OECD average, at a value of about 575 U.S. dollars per capita. A combination of an aging and generally health-conscious population alongside having universal healthcare has led to South Korea having one of the highest average number of doctors’s visits per person worldwide. With pharmaceutical drugs in high demand, the country has had an active production sector as well as a healthy trade sector, both of which have played big roles in the global production and export of COVID-19 testing kits and vaccines.
