South Korea’s medical drug exports have increased threefold in the last ten years.
 
A Ministry of Food and Drug Safety report released on Tuesday showed drug exports surpassed two-point-five trillion won, or two-point-one billion U.S. dollars, in 2014. This is a nine percent increase, or 210 billion won, from 2013.
 
The tally is three-point-one times the figure from 2005 when drug exports were worth 820 billion won. On average, exports have increased 13-point-four percent annually.
 
The rise is expected to continue as local drug producer Hanmi Pharm closed a mega-export deal with Paris-based global drug maker Sanofi in November 2015.
 
The trade surplus, however, remained negative in the same period due to a rise in imports. 

Drug imports worth two-point-eight trillion won increased almost twice to five-point-five trillion won in 2014. Trade deficits hiked from some two trillion won to nearly three trillion won.