지역특화 의료기기 산업의 수출 활성화 방안

The Export Promotion Scheme of Locally Characterized Industry of Medical Devices

The purpose of this paper is to make research on the present status and trade competitive power of the medical devices industry in Korea, the trend of the medical devices market in the major foreign countries, the present status and characterization of the medical devices industry in Gangwon and Wonju area, and the bottleneck factors and promotion scheme of the export by the medical devices industry. As of the end of 2004, the number of Korea's medical devices manufacturers expanded to 1,688. The production amount of Korea's medical devices industry in 2004 recorded 1,478 billion won, and the domestic market volume of medical devices in 2004 recorded 2,296 billion won. Korea's export amount of medical devices in 2004 recorded USD 570 million and recorded a 10.5% growth compared to the previous year. The worldwide medical devices market in 2004 is estimated at USD 149.5 billion, with the United States being the largest market, followed closely by Japan and Western Europe. In 2004, Gangwon area's export amount of electro-medical devices recorded USD 133.7 million and occupied a 20.8% of Gangwon area's total exports, and Wonju area's export amount of medical devices recorded USD 1.5 million. Wonju Medical Techno Valley, which was established in 2003, provide not only factory land required but also business incubation, research and development support, and funding to foster an intensive and systematical support of medical devices industry in Wonju area. There are the following bottleneck factors in the export by the medical devices industry : weakness of brand recognition, strictness of international specification and authorization procedure, shortage of overseas marketing capability, insufficiency of new technology development, and weakness of trade manpower infrastructure. In order to promote the export by the medical devices industry, the following scheme should be taken : highly added value of product through new technology and design development, enhancement of brand recognition, strengthening of assistance for obtaining international authorization and permission, building of overseas distribution channel and after sales service channel, variety of export product and export market, training of expert manpower, positive participation in international medical devices exhibition and opening of medical devices exhibition, and strengthening of overseas marketing assistance.