In 2020, when the Corona 19 pandemic swept the world, domestic and foreign economies suffered from deteriorating conditions such as slow growth and damage to supply chains, but Korea’s health industry exports reached a record high.
The Korea Health Industry Development Institute announced this by analyzing the export performance of the health industry such as medicines, medical devices, and cosmetics in 2020.
In 2020, exports to the health industry totaled $21.7 billion (about 24.53 trillion won), an increase of 38.3% from the previous year.
By sector, pharmaceuticals rose 62.6% year-on-year to $8.43 billion (9,530.1 billion won), cosmetics increased by 15.6% to $7.6 billion (8,581 trillion won), and medical devices rose by 44.0% to $5.7 billion (6,433 trillion won). In the order of 50 million won), all industries recorded the highest export performance ever. It has expanded 20 times over 20 years.
In particular, pharmaceutical exports showed a sharp rise due to the increase in biopharmaceutical exports to Germany and the acceleration of domestic biopharmaceutical sales in the European, North American and Asian markets.
Germany’s exports recorded 1.91 billion dollars (+234.3%), becoming the first export country, followed by US$ 890 million (+67.9%) and Japan 760 million dollars (32.6%). appear.
In addition, India ($310 million, +281.0%), Belgium ($300 million, +197.2%) and Italy ($120 million, +107.6%) recorded high export growth.
By item, biopharmaceuticals accounted for more than half of the total exports at $4.91 billion (+129.5%), followed by other (finished drugs) $650 million (+26.7%), and disinfectants $260 million. (+3699.9%).
“As the demand for domestic biosimilar products and biopharmaceutical consignment production (CMO) increases, exports to Europe, the United States, India, and Japan, such as Germany and Turkey, are showing a significant increase in exports, Sales in overseas markets are accelerating,” said “According to the actual Celltrion Healthcare, the US market share of Truxima (blood cancer treatment) reached 16.4% in June, 20.6% in September, and 24.0% in late December from 7.9% in March last year.” He explained.
Medical devices also recorded $5.7 billion, an increase of 44.0% over the previous year. This is due to the expansion of exports of diagnostic reagents (diagnostic kits), which are preemptively developed quarantine products.
Diagnosis products, which are actual quarantine products, are exported to the world, and’diagnostic reagents (prepared, plastic-made plates, sheets, films, etc.)’ are $1.1 billion (+1781.2%) and $490 million, respectively, based on a single code. (+258.7%), it was ranked first and second in exports.
On the other hand, ultrasound imaging equipment ranked third, down two stages in export rankings to $400 million (△24.1%), and implants ($370 million, △6.4%) ranked fourth. However, from the fourth quarter of last year, exports of ultrasound imaging devices and implants are entering a recovery trend following the economic recovery in China.
Director Kwon Soon-man of the Agency said, “Last year, the entire industry went through a difficult period due to the deterioration of external conditions due to the Corona 19 shock, while the health industry achieved the highest export performance ever thanks to the promotion of quarantine products such as diagnostic products and biopharmaceuticals. “Accordingly, it ranked 7th among the 20 major items, surpassing the performance of ships and auto parts.”
“In the future, KISA will foster and develop the biohealth industry, one of Korea’s BIG3 industries, as a new growth engine for national development by combining DNA (data, network, AI) technology, and play a pivotal role in keeping with the Korean version of the New Deal promoted by the government. “We will do it.”