South Korea’s biohealth exports surged 14.4% YoY to a record $7.3 billion in Q1 2026, driven primarily by K-beauty, according to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. Cosmetics exports hit a quarterly high of $3.13 billion — a 21.5% jump — fueled by strong demand for basic skincare in the US and Europe, offsetting cooling demand in China. The pharmaceutical sector grew 11.7% to $2.71 billion on biopharmaceutical demand, while medical device exports rose 5.6% to $1.46 billion.

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