[Reporter's View] KIMES calls for policy making

'The 41st Korea International Medical & Hospital Equipment Show (KIMES 2026)' unveiled the Korean medical device trend shift.

More companies are showcasing Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is now regarded as essential, and the technology is shifting to 'how AI is utilized.'

A prominent feature of this year’s exhibition is the presentation of specific visions for the stage after adopting technology. Rather than simply emphasizing AI's accuracy, major companies provided detailed explanations of interoperability with hospital systems (PACS/EMR), the repurposing of accumulated data, and revenue structures based on Software as a Service (SaaS) models.

This means that the medical AI industry has moved past the initial stage of debating 'whether to adopt' and has entered a maturity phase, focusing on clinical utility and sustainable business models. However, a brutal reality confirmed at the show is that this technological advancement is not immediately translating into market expansion.

While there is a consensus that new technology is necessary in the field, the pace of implementation often falls short of expectations due to cost burdens and institutional limitations.

This trend in the industrial field aligns with the direction of the recently launched "Second Stage of the Korea Interagency Medical Device R&D Project."

While the first stage focused on establishing a technological foundation and building a pipeline for domestic medical devices, the second stage clearly defines a 'market entry-centered' support structure that covers clinical trials, licensing, and commercialization to ensure these technologies take root in actual medical settings.

It is encouraging that government policy and industrial trends are aligned with the same goal. The second stage serves as a 'verification stage' to confirm whether developed technologies can avoid being shelved and instead have their value recognized in the market. However, industry workers remain concerned about the disconnect between each stage.

The reason for this concern is that the process leading from technological development to hospital adoption, reimbursement application, and market expansion often fails to connect organically, frequently stopping at individual stages.

Ultimately, the success or failure of the domestic medical device industry will depend not on the perfection of the technology itself, but on how the 'connection structure' is designed to allow that technology to flow into the actual market.

Industry experts suggest that leaving the integration of technology entirely to the market may take too long and face inherent limitations. They point out that more proactive consideration is needed, especially since the global market is currently competing on a similar level.

In fact, the platform strategies and subscription models emphasized at KIMES will inevitably face constraints on expansion unless the reimbursement system and institutional support functions are provided.

The industry goals identified at KIMES 2026 and the policy direction of the second interagency project are in alignment. However, a gap in speed and execution remains between these two trends. How effectively this policy-wise and field-wise gap can be bridged will likely be the key variable determining the global competitiveness and market growth rate of Korea's medical devices in the future.

It is now time for policy-making that ensures R&D achievements do not remain confined to show booths but lead to outcomes in patient clinics.