MFDS Forms ‘One Team’ to Support K-Pharmaceuticals’ Entry Into Thailand

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) is working to support Korean pharmaceutical companies’ entry into the Thai market through a “one team” bringing together government, public institutions and industry.

The MFDS said on the 16th that it held the Korea-Thailand Pharmaceutical Forum on the 14th in Bangkok, Thailand, with the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).

The forum was organized as part of the MFDS’ public-private joint support program for overseas market entry for medicines. It provided a venue for government, public institutions and industry to establish a cooperative channel to support Korean companies’ entry into the local market.

The MFDS has dispatched market-entry support teams to Thailand this year, following Vietnam (2023), Indonesia (2024 and 2026) and Japan (2025). The decision reflects Thailand’s market potential as the third-largest pharmaceutical market in ASEAN and strong demand from Korean industry to enter the market.

The support team comprised 28 people, including five from the MFDS, four from the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association, and representatives of 10 Korean pharmaceutical companies preparing to enter Thailand.

About 120 representatives of regulatory agencies, government and industry from both countries attended the forum to share trends in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and opportunities for investment and research and development cooperation.

The MFDS and Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration introduced their respective drug approval systems, international cooperation and regulatory harmonization trends. Industry representatives shared their experience entering the Thai market and the latest industry technology trends, while establishing cooperative channels with local health care stakeholders.

On the sidelines of the forum, the MFDS met with senior officials from Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and Food and Drug Administration to discuss ways to promote mutual understanding of approval review systems and regulatory issues affecting Korean companies’ market entry.

In particular, the MFDS requested information exchange on Thailand’s regulatory reliance system and the requirements and procedures for recognizing reference agencies. Drawing on its experience being listed on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Listed Authorities (WLA), the MFDS proposed cooperation to strengthen the capabilities of regulatory professionals.

The MFDS also held a preliminary meeting with Korean companies preparing to enter Thailand to hear about regulatory challenges in local approval and registration processes. Based on the feedback, it asked Thailand’s FDA to actively cooperate by providing regulatory information on detailed procedures and requirements and communicating with companies.

On the 15th, one-on-one business consultations between Korean companies and Thai companies and buyers were held in conjunction with the Korea-Thailand Biohealth Partnership, organized by KOTRA. The consultations aimed to identify specific business opportunities in exports, distribution and technology cooperation.

“Korea’s pharmaceutical regulatory capabilities have received international recognition, including through its WLA listing, and Thailand is also a major ASEAN market that is actively fostering its health care industry,” said Ahn Young-jin, director general of the MFDS’ Biopharmaceuticals and Herbal Medicine Bureau. “Starting with this forum and meetings between regulatory agencies, we will share regulatory experience, build trust and raise the level of cooperation between the two countries.”

“Thailand, which has fostered its medical tourism industry from an early stage, has recently seen growing medical demand and greater awareness of Korean medical care, creating favorable conditions for Korean pharmaceutical companies to enter the market,” said Kim Jong-hyun, director of KOTRA’s Bangkok office.

“Thailand is a major Asian market with excellent medical infrastructure and a strong pharmaceutical industry base,” said Noh Yeon-hong, chairman of the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association. “Working closely with relevant organizations, including the MFDS and KOTRA, we will actively support Korean companies’ local market entry and boost exports.”

The MFDS plans to continue expanding cooperation channels with regulatory authorities in major countries and removing regulatory barriers faced by Korean pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies seeking to expand overseas, supporting K-pharmaceuticals’ entry into global markets.