13-Oct-15 As China's growing 40+ population suffers increasingly from lifestyle diseases such as cardiac problems and cancer, many of the wealthy among them will seek treatment in the US or Europe. And many more will spend some of their new found wealth on plastic surgery, dentistry or wellness programs in Korea or Southeast Asia. Chinese medical tourists spent USD10 bn in 2014, only 2.3% of the global total, suggesting that there is a huge potential for further growth in the market. What can hospitals and governments do to tap into this opportunity? [image: Travel Daily News]

06-Nov-15 Korea's Hanmi Pharmaceutical has signed a contract with Sanofi to export USD4 bn worth of diabetes treatment technology, in a deal worth almost 30% of the value of the entire Korean pharma industry. Sanofi gains an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize drugs based on the materials, except in Korea and China, where Hanmi retains co-commercialization rights. [image: Business Korea]

05-Nov-15 Korea's Fair Trade Commission has launched an investigation of Siemens Korea’s alleged unfair business practices in the field of medical equipment. According to the FTC, Siemens has refused to provide MRI and CT equipment software ownership and provided only the right to use the software.

19-Oct-15 Korea's "Third Basic Plan on Low Fertility and Aging Society” is intended to raise the country’s fertility rate from 1.2 to 1.5 by 2020. The plan includes housing assistance measures for the younger generation and the newly married. Medical expenses relating to pregnancy are to be reduced, and medical procedures for fertility are to be covered by national health insurance. [image: Business Korea]

04-Sep-15 Korean medical companies will speed up their entry into China, having secured a bridgehead into the telemedicine market by inking agreements with Chinese partners. Other agreements will allow Korea to export more drugs and biotech to China. These developments will help Korea become one of the top seven healthcare powers within five years. [image: Business Korea]