Daewoong Pharmaceutical Takes Proactive Steps for Indonesia's Mandatory Halal Certification... Joins Public-Private Joint Support Group

Discussing Regulatory Direction with Local Food, Drug, and Halal Authorities
Phased Approach from Cosmetics and Health Functional Foods to Pharmaceuticals
Targeting GMP Approval for the Cikarang Plant by 2027

Daewoong Pharmaceutical is strengthening its strategy to target the local market by proactively responding to Indonesia's mandatory halal certification, which will be implemented in October 2026.

On August 25, Daewoong Pharmaceutical announced that it is participating in the "Public-Private Joint Support Group for Entry into Indonesia" led by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and attended the "Indonesia Market Entry Companies Meeting" held in Jakarta, Indonesia last month.

On July 21, at the KOTRA Trade Office in Jakarta, Indonesia, participants are discussing local halal regulation response measures during the “Indonesia Market Entry Companies Meeting.” Daewoong Pharmaceutical

This meeting was organized to support local market entry for domestic pharmaceutical, biotech, and cosmetics companies. Daewoong Pharmaceutical confirmed the direction of local regulations in discussions with representatives from Indonesia's National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) and Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), regarding import customs clearance requirements, ingredient safety evaluations, halal labeling, and the schedule for the mandatory certification.

Indonesian authorities shared operating policies for requirements such as the labeling and management of halal and non-halal products. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and domestic companies also reconfirmed that halal certificates issued by organizations under Korea's mutual recognition agreement (MRA) have the same validity locally after registration in Indonesia. The Ministry proposed to the Indonesian side measures to reduce the onsite inspection burden for certified factories and to extend grace periods for products already in distribution.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical plans to implement phased responses for each product group, ranging from cosmetics and health functional foods to pharmaceuticals. With the mandatory halal certification for ethical pharmaceuticals (ETC) set for October 2034, the company is aiming for GMP approval by July 2027 and is currently constructing the 'Cikarang Solid Dosage Smart Factory.'

The Cikarang plant is being built to accommodate halal certification from the design stage, and Daewoong Pharmaceutical intends to utilize this facility as a production hub for Indonesia and other ASEAN markets.

Lee Soyoon, Head of Regulatory and Patent Center at Daewoong Pharmaceutical, said, "We will enhance the competitiveness of K-pharmaceuticals and bio in the ASEAN market by leveraging our manufacturing and import infrastructure and halal compliance capabilities in line with the government's export support policy."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.