SK Life Science LinX, a 530-square-meter open innovation space, opens inside SK Biopharm's US subsidiary to serve as a 'K-biotech bridge'; three-way MOU signed with KOTRA and KASBP; CEO Lee Dong-hoon says the hub goes beyond shared office space to drive global growth for Korean biotech firms

SK Biopharm opened SK Life Science LinX on June 5 to support promising South Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies seeking to enter and grow in the US market. From left: Kim Hyun-chul, head of the US branch of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute; Yoo Jung-joon, vice chairman of SK Corp and president of SK Americas; Kang Min-seok, chairman of the KASBP New Jersey/New York chapter; Lee Dong-hoon, president and CEO of SK Biopharm; Kim Rak-gon, director of KOTRA's New York trade center; Kim Sang-ho, newly appointed consul general of South Korea in New York; Kim Yong-geun, Hallym University professor overseeing Station C. [SK Biopharm]
SK Biopharm opened SK Life Science LinX on June 5 to support promising South Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies seeking to enter and grow in the US market. From left: Kim Hyun-chul, head of the US branch of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute; Yoo Jung-joon, vice chairman of SK Corp and president of SK Americas; Kang Min-seok, chairman of the KASBP New Jersey/New York chapter; Lee Dong-hoon, president and CEO of SK Biopharm; Kim Rak-gon, director of KOTRA's New York trade center; Kim Sang-ho, newly appointed consul general of South Korea in New York; Kim Yong-geun, Hallym University professor overseeing Station C. [SK Biopharm]

SK Biopharm is opening up the infrastructure of its US subsidiary to help promising South Korean biotech ventures and startups establish themselves in the North American market, launching what it calls a global co-growth platform.

The company said Monday it opened SK Life Science LinX, an open innovation space designed to support South Korean pharmaceutical and biotech firms entering and expanding in the US market, on June 5 inside its New Jersey-based US subsidiary, SK Life Science.

The facility spans roughly 530 square meters — about 160 pyeong, where 1 pyeong equals 3.3 square meters — including 400 square meters of shared space for visitor exchange, 10 private offices and conference rooms. The "X" in the name stands for exchange, expansion and exploration, and the hub is intended to serve as a core "K-biotech bridge" connecting Asia's research and development capabilities with the advanced market expertise of North America.

The June 5 opening ceremony drew more than 100 officials from business and government in both South Korea and the United States, including SK Biopharm President and CEO Lee Dong-hoon and other senior executives, KOTRA New York trade center director Kim Rak-gon, KASBP New Jersey/New York chapter chairman Kang Min-seok, Korea Health Industry Development Institute US branch head Kim Hyun-chul, and newly appointed Consul General of South Korea in New York Kim Sang-ho. At the event, SK Biopharm, KOTRA and KASBP signed a three-way MOU pledging mutual cooperation to put the platform into full operation.

Inside LinX, KOTRA will run its "K-Bio Global Innovation LinX" program as part of a biotech cooperation consortium. Station C, a regional startup brand operated by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute and Hallym University, has confirmed its participation, and discussions with additional domestic institutions are ongoing.

The consortium plans to offer companies based at LinX a range of specialized programs aimed at minimizing the risks of entering the US market, including initial settlement support, legal and patent advisory services, and connections to local venture capital firms and investors. The KASBP New Jersey/New York chapter will also use the space as a base to hold regular academic symposiums and seminars, bridging global top-tier talent with South Korean companies.

SK Biopharm said the opening of LinX gives concrete, global expression to the ESG management philosophy it has long championed, translating it into a co-growth ecosystem. The company plans to begin recruiting its first cohort of resident companies this month, targeting promising South Korean biotech firms and startups seeking to enter the US market.

"SK Life Science LinX is more than a shared office — it is a base for co-growth that drives promising Korean biotech companies to make their mark on the global stage," Lee said. "Through wide-ranging open innovation with promising domestic biotech firms, we will organically combine innovative technologies and resources to build a sustainable co-growth ecosystem that delivers real results together in the global market."


silverpaper@heraldcorp.com