Unlocking Opportunities: Healthcare and Medical Equipment Korea 2025 Business Mission to the Republic of Korea

The Healthcare and Medical Equipment Korea 2025 took place in Seoul from 17 – 21 March 2025, providing 39 European SMEs and start-ups valuable opportunities to kick-start their internationalisation path in the healthcare and medical equipment sector.

The business mission brought together a diverse group of selected companies from across the European Union, specialised in sectors such as assistive technologies, medical equipment, ICT for healthcare, telemedicine, remote health monitoring, nanotechnology, AI applications in healthcare, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. 

What made this mission stand out?

• Market Intelligence and Local Expertise: Before and during the business mission, participants gained valuable market insights and business culture coaching from the EU Business Hub team, which helped them navigate the Korean market smoothly. 

• Study tours: As part of the business mission, EU participants had the chance to attend site visits to renowned local companies such as InBody and Osstem Implant.  

• Business Exhibition: The 39 EU participants exhibited at a stand-alone event that lasted three days, during which they were able to promote their products and services, and meet with potential local partners.

• B2B Meetings with Local Companies: During these exhibition days, EU participants had the opportunity to attend pre-arranged meetings, benefit from networking sessions organised during the business mission week, and meet with Korean stakeholders who visited their booths. A total of 438 meetings were held between EU participants and Korean stakeholders. 

• A visit to KIMES 2025, a major trade fair in the healthcare sector featuring more that 1,350 exhibitors and attended by 70,760 participants, allowed EU companies to connect with additional relevant local stakeholders, further boosting their market prospects.

• Cultural and Linguistic Support: Professional interpreters from the EU Business Hub and briefings on the Republic of Korea’s business culture ensured that interaction between EU participants and local companies was fluent and effective. 

The Republic of Korea’s Healthcare and Medical Equipment Industry Focus

In 2023, the country established the Strategies for Creating Bio-Health and Digital Healthcare Markets and is advancing the Development of Data-Driven and AI-Based Healthcare Technologies. 

Currently, the Republic of Korea ranks 10th worldwide for digitisation of healthcare, and 11th in the global Medical Devices Market with a market share of 1.9%, making it an attractive country for EU companies in the sector.

Additionally, the local pharmaceutical market is expected to continue growing until 2027 with a growth outlook of 4.5~7.5%.

Upcoming business mission to the Republic of Korea

The Healthcare and Medical Equipment Korea 2025 was a great success and proved to be a great opportunity for EU companies to establish connections with Korean counterparts, explore partnerships, and expand their network in the target market. 

While additional business missions in the healthcare sector are foreseen for 2026 and 2027, the two upcoming business missions of the EU Business Hub will focus on Green and Low Carbon Technologies (Seoul, 9 – 13 June 2025) and Digital Solutions (Seoul, 9 – 13 February 2026). Each of these missions will welcome 50 SMEs and start-ups and support them in their internationalisation path in the Republic of Korea and in the renewable energy and digital solution sectors.

Subscribe to our newsletter now and stay tuned for updates on upcoming business missions to Japan and the Republic of Korea!