![\"Lee](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-19814-20805-203-upscayl-2x-u-7564-6651-1776154161.png\")
<\/p>\nYoon Dae-in, chairman of Sam Chun Dang Pharm, joined the ranks of the nation\u2019s 50 richest this year at the 10th place after his company struck a deal to develop a weight-loss product.<\/p>\n
Dae-in, with a net worth of $5.9 billion, has now surpassed many tech and media tycoons in wealth following the company\u2019s agreement with Japan\u2019s Daiichi Sankyo signed in January to develop a pill that works similarly to the weight-loss injectable Wegovy made by Denmark-based Novo Nordisk, according to U.S. magazine Forbes.<\/p>\n
Two additional pharmaceutical entrepreneurs have entered the rankings for the first time. One of them is biologist Lee Sang-hoon with a net worth of $1.4 billion, ranking 39th in the country.<\/p>\n
He is the chairman and CEO of ABL Bio, which develops antibodies to improve treatment outcomes for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.<\/p>\n
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Lee Sang-hoon, chairman and CEO of ABL Bio. Photo courtesy of the company<\/p>\n
It signed a $2.6 billion technology-transfer deal with U.S.-based pharma company Eli Lilly in November last year.<\/p>\n
Another new billionaire is Hyuntae Kim (with a net worth of $1.3 billion), CEO of Voronoi, which is known for its AI-powered drug discovery platform and has two prospective cancer treatments in development.<\/p>\n
These newly created fortunes underscore the growing prominence of South Korea\u2019s healthcare sector, and more specifically biotech, as a pathway to wealth in a country long dominated by industries such as electronics, semiconductors and online gaming.<\/p>\n
Six of the country\u2019s 50 richest are in the healthcare industry, with one of them, Seo Jung-jin, claiming the third place with $8.1 billion in net worth.<\/p>\n
Ho-Cheol Lee, senior analyst at Shinhan Securities, building credibility with global pharmaceutical leaders has been central to the sector\u2019s rise.<\/p>\n
Over the past year, Korean firms have signed more than a dozen joint research agreements with multinational companies, up from seven in 2024.<\/p>\n
“This marks a dramatic acceleration,” he told Forbes. “Until 2023, the sector averaged fewer than three such deals annually.”<\/p>\n
The increasing global profile of South Korea\u2019s pharmaceutical players reflects a broader transition from domestic manufacturing to advanced research and development, according to Lee.<\/p>\n
This shift, he says, has been driven by “several pioneer companies that successfully secured multibillion dollar licensing deals with Big Pharma.”<\/p>\n
Among these trailblazers are Jung-jin, co-founder of cancer-treating drugs producer Celltrion and Park Soon-jae ($2.6 billion in net worth), founder of Alteogen.<\/p>\n
The latter secured a $450 million licensing agreement with Merck in 2024 for a cancer therapy, sending its shares higher and earning Park a debut on the country\u2019s rich list that year.<\/p>\n