Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will host the 2026 Global Bio Conference (GBC) in Seoul over three days starting on the 26th, bringing together bio regulators, industry figures and academics from South Korea and abroad.
The ministry said the GBC, now in its 12th year, will open on the 26th at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas. This year’s theme is “A Great Leap for Bio: Adding Speed to Innovation.” Sessions will address the role of regulation and the direction of international cooperation so that fast-developing technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced biopharmaceuticals can translate into actual product development and patient treatment.
Keynote speakers on the first day include Lee Sang-yup, a professor at KAIST; Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General; Azad Bonni, Roche senior vice president; and David Nogales, head of technology strategy at Germany’s Merck. They will share the latest industry trends, including the outlook for bio innovation technology and regulatory reform.
On the 27th and 28th, a total of 16 forums and workshops will be held on topics such as vaccines, recombinant medicines, biopharmaceutical supply chains, regulatory science and alternatives to animal testing. At the “K-Bio Innovation Leaders Talk,” held for the first time this year, heads of Korean bio companies will share their experience and strategies in entering global markets.
One-on-one meetings will also be held between officials from foreign regulators, including those from Canada, Japan and Singapore, and Korean firms. The ministry said it plans to use these to support Korean companies in responding to overseas regulations and entering global markets.
“Through science-based regulatory reform and active global regulatory cooperation, we will support K-bio’s innovation and its expansion into world markets,” said Oh Yu-kyoung, Minister of Food and Drug Safety.