A researcher at Korea Ginseng Corp. looks into the scope in this undated handout photo released on Thursday. Courtesy of Korea Ginseng Corp.

Korea Ginseng Corp. (KGC), the country's top ginseng product manufacturer, said Thursday it received recognition from the country's food and drug authority that red ginseng "may help regulate blood sugar."

According to KGC, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety acknowledged the company's clinical and preclinical studies on red ginseng's efficacy and safety in controlling blood sugar.

KGC's research indicates that red ginseng can lower pre- and post-meal blood sugar levels, as well as decrease the level of glycated hemoglobin. Particularly, the study also proved that red ginseng regulates blood sugar by improving insulin resistance and glucose metabolism by increasing glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone involved in blood sugar regulation and appetite suppression.

Following the recognition, KGC will have exclusive rights to use the phrase for red ginseng products for JungKwanJang, KGC's red ginseng product brand, for the next three years.

Reflecting consumer interest in blood sugar management, the company plans to launch a new brand, GLPro, this month, seeking to set new standards in the diabetes care market. This brand will introduce specialized blood sugar management products, such as GLPro Core for blood sugar control and GLPro Double Cut for managing both blood sugar and body fat.

The Korean Diabetes Association reports that over 6 million people in Korea have diabetes, while an estimated 15 million are in the prediabetes stage — a high-risk group that may develop the condition. In light of this, market demand for products aimed at managing blood sugar levels is expanding.

“The recognition bears significance because JungKwanJang's R&D capabilities were officially recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety,” KGC R&D head Park Man-soo said.

“Moving forward, the brand will continue its research on red ginseng through innovative R&D and successfully launch the blood sugar care brand.”

Since 2017, the Ministry has been classifying health functional foods using phrases like "may help to" reduce the risk of certain conditions or improve physiological functions, eliminating the use of direct claims that a product "helps" with specific outcomes.