IFEZ Journal

IFEZ, 

Expanding in the global bio market

Lotte has joined the Songdo, Samsung-Celltrion-SK bio cluster base.

IFEZ is also now promoting national projects for research and development

and human resources to foster and take the stepsneeded to become a global bio-cluster.

In addition, IFEZ has been selected as a ‘National Advanced Strategic Industry Specialized Complex’

by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy,

and is expected to be developed into the world’s largest bio-production base.

—The Songdo Bio Cluster has a pharmaceutical production capacity of 116 million liters.

— Lotte joins Samsung, Celltrion, and SK Biotechnology in the industry.

— Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy selects ‘National Advanced Strategic Industry Specialized Complex’, develops into world’s largest bio production base.

 

Lotte, Samsung, Celltrion, SK, and Songdo, which have gathered into a large biotechnology hub, are expected

to spread to the world stage.

IFEZ Commissioner Won Sok Yun has announced that with the addition of Lotte Biologics, the Songdo Bio Campus will reach 1.16 million liters of bio-drug

production capacity.

In addition, Samsung Biologics 2nd Campus, together with the Lotte Biologics Songdo Bio Campus, is

expected to increase production to 2.14 million liters by 2030.

In particular, Samsung Group settled in Songdo and entered the bio business in 2012. Samsung Biologics

built its first plant in Songdo in July 2012 and signed a contract with Global Pharmaceuticals, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), and Roche.

It took the first step of the biopharmaceutical consignment production (CMO) project. Later, in 2015, the company completed the second plant, the third plant

in 2017, and the 4th plant in 2022, and began constructing the fifth plant in April of this year. After completing

the fifth plant, Samsung Biologics’ production should be 784,000 liters. Plans call for expanding to 8 plants by

2032, with a rise in production to 1,324,000 liters.

Additionally, Celltrion will secure 250,000 liters of biopharmaceutical production capacity this year.

In the future, the company will continuously expand its

production plant in preparation for the increase in demand

for biopharmaceuticals and is planning to build more plants.

Lotte Group established Lotte Biologics in 2022

and entered the Bio-Pharmaceutical Consignment Development Production (CDMO) business. Last year, the company secured land in Songdo through the Incheon

Free Economic Zone Authority. Lotte Biologics held its groundbreaking ceremony within the Songdo Bio Campus on July 3rd.

After completing the construction in 2025, the company plans to establish three new plants by 2030

and expand to 360,000 liters.

SK Bioscience is building a global research process development (R&PD) center in Songdo, which will be completed next year.

The aim, too, is to complete the Global Research Process and create a global vaccine ecosystem through Songdo’s Global R&D Center.

In this way, Songdo will become a worldwide bio cluster, with leading bio companies such as Celltrion,

Samsung BioLogics, and SK Bioscience, as well as large-scale research and development and manufacturing

facility companies such as Merck, Sartorius, and Cytiva.

With gathering bio companies in Songdo,

the Incheon Free Economic Zone

Authority is promoting various national projects for research and development

and talent fostering and is developing international competitiveness as a

global bio cluster.

Various national projects, such as the Bio Fair Human Resources Development Center and the Global

Bio Campus, will secure the foundation for innovative R&D and a sustainable manpower supply.

The Bio Fair Human Resources Development

Center, a facility for the manpower needed in biopharmaceutical production and market expansion, will

establish a Good Manufacturing Process (GMP-level) bio-process training center.

When completed, bio professionals with more than 2,000 on-site practitioners are expected annually.

In addition, Songdo was selected as the “K-BioLab Hub” business, which benchmarks the Boston Bio Cluster

in the U.S. and is gathered by start-ups and promising companies in the bio sector.

The Ministry of Industry’s selection of the National Advanced Strategic Industry

Specialized Complex is expected to greatly increase Incheon’s bioproduction

capacity.

The Ministry of Industry, the 6th National Advanced Strategic Industry Committee held on June 27,

including Incheon-Gyeonggi (Siheung) area, Daejeon(Yuseong), Gangwon (Chuncheon, Hongcheon), Jeonnam

(Hwasun), and Gyeongbuk (Andong Pohang) have been designated as bio-specialized complexes.

The Ministr y of Industr y plans to build the Incheon-Siheung Bio Cluster as the world’s No. 1

bio-mega cluster. The idea is to form Songdo International City, South-East National Industrial Complex,

and Yeongjongdo third reserves to create a bio-specialized complex. Siheung City is expected to generate

synergy with Incheon by raising R&D facilities in the biofield, mainly at Seoul National University, located in

the free economic zone.

U.S. Biological Security Law is

also expected to be a favorable

opportunity.

While the Biosecure Act prohibits U.S. federal agencies from engaging with specific Chinese bio companies, as discussed in the U.S. Congress, Korean

companies are expanding their production instead of the opportunity.

Korean companies are aggressively seeking to attract customers who want to stop trading

with the Chinese, which is a reorganization in the global supply chain.

Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority plans to focus

its policy capabilities on this new value chain (value

chain), establishing the global supply chain (GSC) and

the future high-tech industrial cluster.

Commissioner Won Sok Yun stated, “We believe there will be a new FDI with the reorganization of the

supply chain.” Dr. Yun added, “Incheon will play a pivotal role in driving the national bioindustry.

Per the government’s blueprint, we will lead the global market

to create the world’s largest bio production base.”

Samsung Biologics 

Location

Incheon Metropolitan City 

Yeonsu -gu Songdo Bio Boulevard 300

Establishment date

April 22, 2011

Type of business

Industry biological preparation manufacturing industry

Celltrion 

Location

Incheon Metropolitan City 

Yeonsu -gu Academy 23

Establishment date

February 27, 1991

Type of business

Compounds for industry medicine 

and antibiotics

Lotte Biologics Songdo Mega Plant

Location

Songdo International City Section 11

Industrial facility project costs

About 460 trillion won ($2.700 billion)

To Be Completed 2025

SK Bioscience R&PD Center

Location

Songdo 7 Techno Park Expansion

Complex SR14 parcels (178-3, Songdo-dong)

Area 30,413.8㎡

Project costs 

3,257 billion won ($243 million)

To Be Completed 2025