EU Ambassador to Korea Maria Castillo Fernandez speaks at the Healthcare and Medical Equipment Korea 2025 event in Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin

European and Korean health care industry officials gathered at the Healthcare and Medical Equipment Korea 2025 event to strengthen ties and explore business opportunities in the medical and bio sectors. EU Ambassador to Korea Maria Castillo Fernandez emphasized the significance of cross-border collaboration in her keynote speech at the networking event in Seoul Wednesday.

"This is the first European business networking event specifically organized for the medical and bio industry sector. It is very important that we partner with the Korea Medical Device Industry Association," Fernandez said.

The EU envoy highlighted the increasing relevance of the health care sector in both Korea and Europe, particularly as both regions face aging populations.

"We are both part of aging societies, which brings challenges but also opportunities," she noted. "Digital and artificial intelligence technologies will play a crucial role in this sector."

She referenced her participation in an earlier conference on the bio industry, organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

"Korea is positioning itself as a hub for the bio industry, and I was encouraged to see strong support for this sector from different political parties," she said.

Acknowledging an existing framework that facilitates EU-Korea trade, Fernandez pointed to the importance of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement that went into effect in 2015.

"This agreement has been instrumental in market access for many sectors, including medical services and pharmaceuticals," she said. "We have worked closely with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Science and Technology to advance Korea's national agenda as a leader in AI and digital health."

Fernandez also addressed Korea's reputation as a destination for medical tourism, particularly for plastic surgery.

"We must go beyond plastic surgery and focus on future technologies," she said. "Cell technologies and aging-related innovations are becoming increasingly critical. We need to use AI and other advancements to improve medical outcomes."

Stressing the need for global cooperation, Fernandez emphasized that no country or company can tackle the challenges alone.

"That is why we are here today. We have brought 39 companies from different EU countries to connect with Korean counterparts. Our goal is to help them navigate the Korean market, which is not easy — just as the European market is challenging for Korean companies," she said.

"Korea can now take part in our projects with the same rights and obligations as EU member states. This is an additional support mechanism for companies looking to collaborate."

The EU is also focusing on assisting small and medium-sized enterprises and startups to better navigate the Korean business environment not for just a one-time event but to foster stable business cooperation.

"We hope this will not be your first contact but rather the beginning of many business opportunities," Fernandez said.