National Bioinnovation Committee Launched... Prime Minister Kim: "A Turning Point for Bio Advancement"

The National Bioinnovation Committee, a platform for public-private collaboration to strengthen the country’s bioindustry competitiveness, was launched on April 16.

Prime Minister Minseok Kim, Chairman of the National Bioinnovation Committee, is presiding over the first meeting at the Government Complex Sejong in Sejong City on April 16, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency utzza@yna.co.kr

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Prime Minister Minseok Kim presided over the launch ceremony and the first meeting of the National Bioinnovation Committee at the Government Complex Sejong on the morning of April 16. Prime Minister Kim stated, "The launch of the National Bioinnovation Committee is an important turning point that will elevate the national bio policy framework to the next level," and called for joint efforts so that the committee can serve as a central platform that unites government capabilities, coordinates policies in practice, and delivers tangible results felt on the ground.

The National Bioinnovation Committee integrates the previously separate National Bio Committee and the Biohealth Innovation Committee. It oversees and coordinates bio-related policies across the government. Going beyond its previous deliberative role, it now serves as a practical control tower for bio policy, with actual decision-making authority.

The committee is chaired by Prime Minister Kim, with 16 government members including ministers and vice ministers from relevant ministries. In the private sector, Hee Mok Won, Distinguished Professor at Seoul National University College of Pharmacy, and Yong Jin Park, Chairman of the Regulatory Rationalization Committee, serve as vice chairmen. Additionally, 23 private sector members have joined, including Hanseung Ko, President of Samsung Electronics and Chairman of the Korea Bio Association; Kyung-Ah Kim, President of Samsung Epis Holdings; Yeonhong Noh, Chairman of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association; and Donghoon Lee, CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals.

At the inaugural meeting, the topics discussed included the committee’s vision, mission, and operational plans; innovation directions for national bio clusters; and a roadmap for regulatory rationalization in the biohealth sector.

The committee plans to announce the "Korea Bio Innovation Strategy" in the first half of this year, followed by sequential announcements in the second half, such as the "K-Beauty Industry Development Strategy" and the "Bio Data Innovation Plan," and to implement related policies. To expand Korea’s manufacturing capabilities and bio R&D achievements globally, the committee aims to foster a "Korean-style bio cluster."

In addition, the committee plans to review and improve regulations in line with the growth of the biohealth market. It has established a strategy roadmap for regulatory rationalization in the biohealth sector, comprising a total of 24 key initiatives.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination stated, "We will ensure the tasks identified in the roadmap are implemented without delay so that their impact is felt in the industry, and we will continue to identify and improve additional regulatory reform tasks going forward."

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