Last year, the size of domestic bioindustry production recovered its growth momentum, rising 9.8% from the previous year to 22.9216 trillion won.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization said on the 10th that they announced the results of the "2025 Survey on the Domestic Bioindustry (as of 2024)." In accordance with Article 3 of the Statistics Act, this survey is a national statistic in which the Ministry compiles and releases the previous year's performance annually through the association.
The average annual growth rate over the past five years was 7.4%. Production grew from 17.1983 trillion won in 2020 to 21.3971 trillion won in 2021, peaked at 23.8160 trillion won in 2022, then declined somewhat to 20.8713 trillion won in 2023, before rising again to 22.9216 trillion won in 2024.
About 75.1% of bioindustry production comes from three sectors: biopharmaceuticals, biofood, and bioservices. These sectors grew 33.2%, 6.1%, and 5.0%, respectively, from the previous year, driving the industry's expansion. In particular, therapeutic antibodies and cytokine preparations reached 4.8645 trillion won, up 53.7% from a year earlier, leading the production increase. Bio contract manufacturing and outsourcing services rose 5.2% to 3.2179 trillion won, and feed additives grew 2.1% to 3.1133 trillion won.
Last year, bioindustry exports climbed 17.1% from the previous year to 13.7109 trillion won. The increase was mainly in biopharmaceuticals, whose exports jumped 46.0% from a year earlier, powering overall export growth. Exports of bioservices and biofood also rose 5.7% and 5.2%, respectively, showing solid momentum. By item, exports of therapeutic antibodies and cytokine preparations increased by 1.5939 trillion won, while bio contract manufacturing and outsourcing services rose by 146.9 billion won, and feed additives by 94.6 billion won.
Imports increased 10.4% from the previous year to 3.6917 trillion won. Biopharmaceuticals accounted for 79.9% of total imports, making them the largest import category, and were up 16.1% from a year earlier. In contrast, imports in bio-chemicals and energy and in bio equipment and instruments fell 6.4% and 5.7%, respectively. By item, imports of therapeutic antibodies and cytokine preparations increased by 37.0 billion won, while imports of biofuel fell by 25.5 billion won and of multifunction and other analyzers by 20.5 billion won.
As of last year, the domestic bioindustry workforce stood at 65,818, a slight increase of 1.5% from the previous year. Over the past five years, the average annual growth rate was 5.9%, showing steady growth. By job category, research positions rose 1.8%, production positions 1.9%, and other roles such as sales and administration 0.8%. The share of research personnel with master's or doctoral degrees was 21.2%, remaining higher than in other industries. By degree, 4.8% of bioindustry workers held doctorates, 16.4% held master's degrees, and 78.8% held bachelor's or lower. Compared with the overall industry—2.1% doctorates, 6.0% master's, and 92.0% bachelor's or lower—this indicates a considerably higher share of highly skilled personnel.
On the investment side, total investment last year rose 46.1% from the previous year to 5.4821 trillion won. By sector, research and development investment increased only 3.2%, but facility investment surged 145.3%, strengthening the foundation for bioindustry growth.
Choi Woo-hyeok, director general for advanced industry policy at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), said, "Despite an uncertain global trade environment, the bioindustry is regaining its growth momentum," and added, "We will actively support corporations' research and development, production, and export expansion so that the bioindustry can make a greater contribution to our economy and employment."