Seoul: South Korea's leading pharmaceutical companies have each invested approximately 100 billion won (US$72.13 million) in the first half of this year for the research and development (R and D) of new drugs, data revealed. This significant expenditure appears to be a strategic move aimed at securing future growth avenues.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Yuhan Corp., widely recognized for its anti-inflammatory ointment Antiphlamine, reported in a regulatory filing that it allocated a total of 122.2 billion won to R and D from January to June. This investment marks a 13.8 percent increase from the same period last year and represents 10.5 percent of its sales for the first half of this year.

Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp., known for its popular pain reliever Penzal, invested 113.5 billion won, equivalent to 12.3 percent of its first-half sales, into new drug development. This amount reflects a 36.6 percent rise in R and D spending compared to the first half of 2025, according to the company's regulatory filing.

Hanmi Pharm Co. dedicated 125.5 billion won, or 14.6 percent of its half-year sales, to R and D this year, as disclosed in its regulatory report. The company initiated a program in 2023 to develop a new pipeline of obesity drugs, as stated by a company representative.

In addition to the major players, other mid-sized pharmaceutical firms also demonstrated a similar commitment, allocating around 10 percent of their first-half revenue this year to new drug development. GC Biopharm Co. invested 85.9 billion won, while Daewoong Pharma committed 115.7 billion won to R and D efforts.