{
  "id": 2699309,
  "title": "S. Korea's top pharmaceutical firms spend over 100 bln won each in H1 for R&D: data",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/s-koreas-top-pharmaceutical-firms-spend-over-100-bln-won-each-in-h1",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-23T02:32:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yonhap News",
    "slug": "yonhap-news",
    "url": "https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260823001000320"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korea's leading pharmaceutical firms poured over 100 billion won each in the first half of the year into research and development (R&D) for new drugs, according to data released on Sunday. This investment reflects a strategic move to secure future growth engines in the industry.\n\nYuhan Corp., renowned for its anti-inflammatory ointment Antiphlamine, disclosed a total R&D expenditure of 122.2 billion won in the January-June period, marking a 13.8 percent increase compared to the same period last year. This investment accounted for 10.5 percent of the company's total sales for the first half of the year.\n\nChong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp., recognized for its popular pain reliever Penzal, allocated 113.5 billion won, or 12.3 percent of its first half sales, to new drug development. This represents a significant 36.6 percent rise in R&D spending compared to the first half of 2025.\n\nHanmi Pharm Co. also doubled down on R&D, investing 125.5 billion won, or 14.6 percent of its half-year sales, on new drug development. The company launched an initiative in 2023 to develop a new pipeline of obesity drugs, reflecting a growing focus on addressing health challenges.\n\nOther mid-sized pharmaceutical companies mirrored this trend, allocating around 10 percent of their first half revenue to R&D. GC Biopharm Co. spent 85.9 billion won, while Daewoong Pharma invested 115.7 billion won in R&D during the first half of the year.",
  "summary": "SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's major pharmaceutical companies spent ar...",
  "key_points": [
    "South Korean pharmaceutical firms invested over 100 billion won each in R&D for H1.",
    "Yuhan Corp. increased R&D spending by 13.8% to 122.2 billion won.",
    "Chong Kun Dang doubled its R&D investment to 113.5 billion won."
  ],
  "editors_take": "South Korea's top pharmaceutical firms are prioritizing research and development, allocating over 10 percent of their sales to R&D, signaling a strategic shift to drive future growth in the industry.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Korea's top pharmaceutical firms spend over $72.13 mil. each in first hald of the year for R&D: data",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/koreas-top-pharmaceutical-firms-spend-over-72-13-mil-each-in-first",
        "published": "2026-08-23T03:27:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}