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A Study on the Status of Traditional Herbal Medicine Products in the Korean Pharmaceutical Industry Over the Past 40 Years

Article information

J Korean Med. 2025;46(2):190-205
Publication date (electronic) : 2025 June 1
doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.25028
Hobeom Kim1orcid_icon, Sungyong Kim1orcid_icon, Hyeun-kyoo Shin2,orcid_icon
1Neutinamu Herb Pharmacy of Wellspring Hope
2KM Science Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine
Correspondence to: Hyeun-kyoo Shin, KM Science Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 1672 Yuseong-daero, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea, Tel: +82-42-868-9464, E-mail: hkshin@kiom.re.kr
Received 2025 April 14; Revised 2025 May 20; Accepted 2025 May 23.

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate and analyze long-term trends in the production of traditional herbal medicine products within the Korean pharmaceutical industry. The findings are intended to provide foundational data for policy development to revitalize the herbal medicine market.

Methods

Production and market data for traditional herbal medicine products in the Korean pharmaceutical industry over the past 40 years (1980–2020) were collected and analyzed. The primary data source, obtained from the official “Production Performance Table of Pharmaceutical Products, etc.” (Excel electronic data), was analyzed using Tableau software.

Results

The total production value of traditional herbal medicine products in Korea reached 360.8 billion KRW in 2023. Of this, the four herbal medicine products—Woohwangchungsim-won, Kyeongok-go, Gongjin-dan, and Ssanghwa-tang—accounted for 197.9 billion KRW (54.8%). Insurance-covered single (67 types) and mixed (42 types) herbal extracts contributed 49.8 billion KRW (13.8%), while other herbal medicine products comprised 113.1 billion KRW (31.3%). Over the past four decades, the herbal medicine industry and its product indicators have remained largely stagnant without significant growth. However, there has been an increase in the production of insurance-covered herbal medicine products and a noticeable shift in preferred dosage forms from dried extracts to soft extracts. Currently, the market is dominated by the aforementioned four herbal medicine products.

Conclusions

Despite remarkable advances in the Korean pharmaceutical industry overall, the traditional herbal medicine sector has remained stagnant. The market size has lingered below 400 billion KRW for an extended period, and a few specific herbal medicines account for more than half of total sales. The complexity of professional roles and detailed pharmaceutical classifications has led to excessive social costs associated with herbal medicine-based pharmaceuticals. Without innovative institutional reforms, the prospects of the herbal pharmaceutical industry and market remain uncertain.

Keywords: pharmaceutical industry; herbal medicine; traditional herbal medicine products; Woohwangchungsim-won; Ssanghwa-tang
Fig. 1

Annual Number and Rankings of Traditional Herbal Medicine Products Among the Top 100 Pharmaceutical Products by Production Amount

Note: In 1980, three traditional herbal medicine products were included in the top 100, with Woohwangcheongsim-won ranked 28th, and Ssanghwa-tang ranked 8th, and 40th.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Guidelines

Population and Medical Professional Manpower at Five-Year Intervals (1980–2020)

Number, Production Amounts, and Other Key Indicators of Pharmaceutical and Traditional Herbal Medicine Products at Five-Year Intervals and for 2023 (Unit: number, 100 million Korean won)

Top-Ranked Traditional Herbal Medicine Products Among Over-the-Counter Drugs: Annual Production Amounts and Market Rankings (Unit: 100 million Korean won)

Production Amounts and Number of the Four Major Traditional Herbal Medicine Products at Five-Year Intervals and for 2023 (Unit: 100 million Korean won, N = number of products)

Total Production Amount of Traditional Herbal Medicine Products by Year (Unit: 100 million Korean won)

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Article information Continued

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Annual Number and Rankings of Traditional Herbal Medicine Products Among the Top 100 Pharmaceutical Products by Production Amount

Note: In 1980, three traditional herbal medicine products were included in the top 100, with Woohwangcheongsim-won ranked 28th, and Ssanghwa-tang ranked 8th, and 40th.

Table 1

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Guidelines

Criteria Content
Inclusion - Items approved for manufacturing based on herbal prescriptions listed in 10 existing traditional herbal medicine books
- Items confirmed to be composed of herbal materials only, excluding additives, and herbal medicine prescriptions or modified herbal medicine prescriptions
- Items with product names similar to synthetic drugs but confirmed to be herbal medicine prescriptions
Exclusion - Items not approved for manufacturing based on herbal medicine prescriptions listed in 10 existing traditional herbal medicine books
- Items confirmed to be composed of herbal materials only, excluding additives, but whose sources cannot be confirmed (e.g., Gyeongsin-hwan, Gyeongwi-dan, Baekcho Syrup Plus, Benachio, Leemyeongrae-Goyak, etc.),
- Items whose composition consists of herbal medicines and synthetic compounds (e.g., Galgeun-tang or Ssanghwa-tang + acetaminophen, Hwalmyeong-su, etc.),
- Herbal medicine products developed using herbal materials from a Western medical perspective

Table 2

Population and Medical Professional Manpower at Five-Year Intervals (1980–2020)

Year 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Population 38,123,775 40,805,744 42,869,283 45,092,991 47,008,111 48,184,561 49,554,112 51,014,947 51,836,239
Population Aged 65 and Over (%) 1,456,003 (3.8) 1,741,849 (4.3) 2,195,084 (5.1) 2,656,652 (5.9) 3,394,896 (7.2) 4,320,787 (9.0) 5,366,109 (10.8) 6,541,168 (12.8) 8,151,867 (15.7)
Doctor 22,564 29,596 42,554 57,188 72,503 85,279 101,371 115,976 129,242
Pharmacists 24,951 30,248 37,118 43,269 50,623 54,829 60,956 65,510 72,530
- Herbal Medicine Pharmacists - - - 37 26,190 26,269 26,191 25,674 25,101
Traditional Doctor 3,015 3,789 5,792 8,714 12,108 15,200 19,065 23,178 26,096
Traditional Pharmacists - - - 89 805 1,513 2,193 2,779
Herbal Medicine Seller - 2,830 2,476 2,244 1,903 1,778 1,346 842 664

Table 3

Number, Production Amounts, and Other Key Indicators of Pharmaceutical and Traditional Herbal Medicine Products at Five-Year Intervals and for 2023 (Unit: number, 100 million Korean won)

Year 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2023
No. of Pharmaceutical Products 16,497 24,084 12,694 13,990 18,422 23,374 15,973 17,907 21,226 21,506
Total Amount 6,250 14,476 31,870 65,600 71,359 105,985 142,346 148,560 210,235 268,706
Pharmaceutical Sales/1 Person (won) - - - - 356,295 (2008Y) 411,308 485,194 628,077 742,493 (2022Y)
No. of THMs Prescription/ THMPs 159/839 (1984Y) 179/1,409 (1992Y) - 258/1,924(2003Y) 255/1,717 220/1,296 193/1,050 161/761 141/676
Total Amount of THMPs - - - - 1,760 (2003Y) 1,442 1,467 1,826 2,742 3,608
No. of Prescription/ THMPs in Insurance - - - - 56/447 (2003Y) 56/424 56/403 53/256 44/265 42/239
Amount of THMPs in Insurance (Single/Single Combination) - - - - 309 (19/257) (2003Y) 200 (8/192) 220 (2/218) 289 (12/277) 370 (22/348) 498 (27/471)
- Amount of Soft Formulation - - - - - - - 8.7 (2016Y) 183 265
Company-THMPs Name of Top 1 in THMPs (Amount) KD-SWT (39) KD-SWT (84) SP-WHCSW (293) KD-SWT (362) SP-WHCSW (118) SP-WHCSW (97) KD-WHCSW (92) IS-GJD (164) KD-KOG (234) KD-WHCSW (292)
Drug Name of Top 1 in HMPs (Amount) - - - - - Stllen Tab. (162) Stllen Tab. (894) Stllen Tab. (399) Joins Tab. (531) Joins Tab. (601)
Consumer Price Index of THMs - - - - 68.55 72.69 84.475 100.00 112.82

GJD: Gongjin-dan, HMPs: Herbal Medicine Products, IS: Iksu, KD: Kwangdong, KOG: Kyeongok-go, SP: Solpyo, SWT: Ssangwha-tang, THMs: Traditional Herbal Medicines, THMPs: Traditional Herbal Medicine Products, WHCSW: Woohwangchungsim-won

Note: All amounts are in 100 million Korean won.

Table 4

Top-Ranked Traditional Herbal Medicine Products Among Over-the-Counter Drugs: Annual Production Amounts and Market Rankings (Unit: 100 million Korean won)

Year Company-THMPs Name Amount (Rank)
2015 IS-GJD 164 (13)
2018 KD-KOG 186 (16) KD-WHCSW 178 (17)
2019 KD-KOG 208 (17)
2020 KD-KOG 234 (16) KD-WHCSW 211 (19)
2021 KD-KOG 220 (15) KD-WHCSW 195 (19) KD-WHCSWS 149 (30)
2022 KD-WHCSW 247 (13) KD-KOK 211 (18) KD-GJD 175 (26) KD-WHCSWS 169 (27)
2023 KD-WHCSW 292 (10) KD-KOK 227 (14) KD-WHCSWS 196 (20) KD-GJD 179 (25)

GJD: Gongjin-dan, IS: Iksu, KD: Kwangdong, KOG: Kyeongok-go, THMPs: Traditional Herbal Medicine Products, WHCSW: Woohwangchungsim-won, WHCSWS: Woohwangchungsim-won Suspension

Note: In 2015, Iksu Gongjin-dan recorded a production amount of 16.4 billion Korean won and ranked 13th.

Table 5

Production Amounts and Number of the Four Major Traditional Herbal Medicine Products at Five-Year Intervals and for 2023 (Unit: 100 million Korean won, N = number of products)

Year 1980 1985 1990 1995 2003 2005 2010 2015 2020 2023
Woohwangchungsim-won (N) 2.4 (12) 25.9 (26) 785.9 (79) 984.7 (59) 573.2 (71) 456.2 (58) 511.4 (53) 428.7 (41) 787.5 (41) 1071.5 (23)
Ssangwha-tang (N) 70.1 (6) 183.6 (36) 486.1 (16) 835.3 (18) 104.1 (27) 108.4 (23) 164.4 (23) 131.5 (20) 195.0 (17) 210.1 (16)
Kyeongok-go (N) 0.4 (5) 3.7 (12) 2.4 (9) 5.6 (6) 10.0 (3) 10.1 (3) 24.8 (3) 20.7 (3) 349.7 (11) 401.7 (15)
Gongjin-dan (N) 0 0 0 0 1.9 (5) 19.2 (6) 44.0 (8) 211.3 (6) 220.2 (7) 297.5 (11)
Total 73 355 1,274 1,827 689 594 744 792 1,552 1,980

Note: In 1980, 12 Woohwangchungsim-won products were produced, with a total production amount of 240 million won.

Table 6

Total Production Amount of Traditional Herbal Medicine Products by Year (Unit: 100 million Korean won)

Year 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
Amount 3,700 - - - -
Year 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Amount - - - 3,521 3,530/2,767
Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Amount - 3,427 3,654/2,663 3,593/3,196/3,575 2,339/,2519/1,628
Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Amount 2,264/2,192/1,812 2,256/2,034 1,865/1,693 1,813 1,611/2,519/2,186/1,628
Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Amount 2,519/2,186/2,552 2,465 2,817 2,866 2,962
Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Amount 2,776 2,959 3,619/4,254/6,418 4,774/4,626/4,815/8,212 5,431/9,454
Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 -
Amount 11,698 12,133 13,666 14,846 -