Routes of the same type are on the same row. Compare other markets.
11 pathway types exist in both markets: full application, new active substance, full or mixed application, known active substance, generic application, biosimilar application, conditional or accelerated approval, priority or accelerated review and more. The table lines up the routes of each type.
Japan: Approval of a drug with a new active ingredient, 365 days. South Korea: New drug item permit, 70 days. These are official targets, not actual review times.
| Pathway type | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Full application, new active substance | Approval of a drug with a new active ingredientArticle 14 approval · target 365 days · fee ¥36,538,400 Approval of a regenerative medical product (cell or gene therapy)Article 23-25 · target 365 days · fee ¥18,803,400 | New drug item permittarget 70 days · fee ₩410,000,000 Item permit for biological products and vaccinestarget 115 days · fee ₩8,031,000 Item permit for advanced biological products (cell and gene therapy)target 70 days · fee ₩205,000,000 |
| Full or mixed application, known active substance |
Not legal or regulatory advice. Check the current official rules before you act. Parts of the approvals data are official open data reused under open licences. Data sources.
Approval of a known active ingredient with a new route, indication, dosage form or doseArticle 14 approval or partial change approval · fee ¥36,538,400 |
| Generic application | Approval of a generic prescription drugArticle 14 approval · target 304 days · fee ¥649,100 | Generic drug item permit (bioequivalence)target 55 days |
| Biosimilar application | Approval of a biosimilarApplication category (7) | Biosimilar item permittarget 115 days · fee ₩310,000,000 |
| Non-prescription application | Approval of a non-prescription drug (including switch OTC)OTC application categories (1) to (8) · target 365 days · fee ¥1,627,300 | - |
| Non-prescription monograph | - |
| Conditional or accelerated approval | Conditional approvalArticle 14-2-2 and 23-2-6-2 Conditional and time-limited approval of a regenerative medical productArticle 23-26 · fee ¥9,411,700 |
| Priority or accelerated review | Priority reviewArticle 14(11), 23-2-5(11) and 23-25 · target 274 days | Priority review designation (GIFT)target 90 days |
| Intensive development support designation | Pioneering product designation (SAKIGAKE)Article 77-2(2) · target 183 days | - |
| Orphan or rare disease designation | Orphan designationArticle 77-2(1) · fee ¥30,618,800 |
| Emergency or temporary authorisation | Special approval for emergencies (based on foreign approval)Article 14-3 · relies on US, GB, CA, DE, FR Emergency approval (time-limited)Article 14-2-2-2 and 23-26-2 | - |
| Reliance route, abridged review | Fast priority review of a product already sold abroad during a supply shortageArticle 14(9) and 23-2-5(9) · relies on US, GB, CA, DE, FR | - |
| Device: premarket notification | Notification of a Class I device or a low-risk IVDArticle 23-2-12 | Class 1 medical device notificationtarget 5 days In vitro diagnostic device notification (Class 1)target 5 days · fee ₩85,000 Digital medical device notification (Class 1)target 5 days |
| Device: premarket approval by the regulator | Approval of a new medical deviceArticle 23-2-5 · target 426 days · fee ¥16,431,300 Approval of an improved medical deviceArticle 23-2-5 · target 304 days · fee ¥9,381,400 Approval of a generic (equivalent) medical deviceArticle 23-2-5 · target 122 days · fee ¥2,244,900 Approval of an in vitro diagnosticArticle 23-2-5 · target 213 days | Medical device permit (Classes 2 to 4)target 80 days · fee ₩98,430,000 In vitro diagnostic device permit (Classes 2 to 4)target 80 days · fee ₩1,495,000 Digital medical device permit or certification (including software)target 80 days · fee ₩1,495,000 |
| Device: conformity assessment by a certification body | Third-party certification by a registered certification bodyArticle 23-2-23 | Class 2 medical device certificationtarget 5 days · fee ₩130,000 In vitro diagnostic device certification (Class 2)target 5 days · fee ₩130,000 |
| Device: breakthrough or priority program | - |
| Other route | Approval held by a foreign manufacturer through a designated marketing authorization holderArticles 19-2, 23-2-17 and 23-37 Specific-use product designationArticle 77-2(3) |