Foreign buyers flock to Wonju for Gangwon medical device expo

Foreign buyers looking to source advanced medical devices from Gangwon Province are heading to Wonju.

The Gangwon Medical & Equipment Show (GMES) will be held Thursday and Friday at the permanent exhibition hall of the Wonju Medical Device Comprehensive Support Center.

Launched in 2006 as the "Gangwon Medical Plaza," GMES is in its 22nd edition this year. The export-focused trade show invites overseas buyers to the region and connects them directly with local companies.

Last year, Gangwon Province's medical device exports surpassed 1 trillion won ($726 million), ranking second nationally and cementing the industry's status as the province's flagship export sector.

This year's show will feature 147 companies across 166 booths, showcasing technologies and products spanning digital health, hospital equipment, cosmetics and beauty, and in-vitro diagnostics.

Organizers have also invited 128 overseas buyers from 34 countries to take part in one-on-one export consultations and business networking sessions with participating companies.

Cumulative export contracts from the show have reached $251 million (360 billion won). After recording $20.64 million in 2023 and $24.69 million in 2024, the event achieved a record $36.14 million in export contracts in 2025.

Key programs include a Korea-Japan technology exchange forum, a medical device regulation and licensing forum, a networking session for overseas buyers and participating companies, a regional biotech caravan outreach program, an R&D project briefing for global companies, and an Export Plus roundtable.

This year, organizers have gone beyond the business-focused exhibition to add content allowing visitors to directly experience medical devices and digital healthcare technology. The show is being run as an open event welcoming not only overseas buyers and domestic industry professionals but also local residents and the general public.

Gangwon Province Governor Woo Sang-ho said GMES has served as "a leading business platform that has driven Gangwon's medical device industry into global markets for more than 20 years," adding that the province would "actively support the growth of local companies and their expansion into overseas markets by broadening cooperation with domestic and international partners this year as well."

Gangwon Province said it will continue to support overseas market development and strengthen export competitiveness to sustain the long-term growth of its medical device industry.