SEOUL — Medical device companies of the Republic of Korea are seeking to expand their presence in Việt Nam, where healthcare spending is rising rapidly and demand for advanced medical technologies continues to grow.

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) on June 4 hosted the "Korea-Vietnam Meditech Export Consultation" in HCM City as part of the K-Med Expo 2026.

The event was held under the 2026 Promising Regional Trade Programme, an initiative launched by the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to diversify export markets.

The K-Med Expo, organised annually since 2023 by KINTEX and the Korea Medical Devices Industry Association, attracts around 300 Korean medical device companies each year. For this year’s consultation conference, KOTRA invited about 100 buyers, including Vietnamese hospitals and medical equipment distributors, to meet with 71 Korean exhibitors.

Korean firms showcased products and solutions across a range of sectors, including digital healthcare, AI-powered cancer diagnosis solutions, surgical-assistance robots and aesthetic medical devices.

With a population of more than100 million and economic growth averaging 5-8 perc cent over the past three years, Việt Nam has emerged as one of the region’s most promising healthcare markets. The country’s medical device market is also expanding rapidly alongside rising personal incomes.

According to market research firm FIIN Group, private healthcare spending in Việt Nam is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 7.5 per cent during the 2025-30 period.

The RoK currently holds the largest share of Việt Nam’s medical device import market, accounting for 16.3 per cent of total imports, equivalent to approximately US$320 million. Beyond healthcare equipment, the two countries are also expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and medical technologies.

A representative of JPI Healthcare, a maker of AI-based imaging diagnostic devices that participated in the event, said Vietnamese partners have shown increasing interest in Korean digital healthcare products. The growing demand is being driven by Việt Nam’s efforts to modernise healthcare infrastructure and expand economic cooperation between the two countries.

In addition to business consultations, KOTRA organised a Korea-Việt Nam medical device seminar and product presentation sessions for Vietnamese hospitals. The agency also provided consultations on Việt Nam's medical device approval and registration systems through the K-Bio Desk.

Kim Myung Hee, executive vice president of KOTRA, said that 48.3 per cent of companies participating in the exhibition in 2025 successfully exported products to Việt Nam.

She added that KOTRA will continue expanding its comprehensive support programmes in marketing and certification to further enhance export performance for Korean businesses. — VNA/BIZHUB