While the U.S. and China dominate synthetic biology research output, Korea just pulled ahead on policy.
The country’s National Assembly voted Wednesday to pass the world’s first standalone law aimed at promoting synthetic biology, a rapidly advancing field merging biology, engineering, and artificial intelligence. The bill passed with overwhelming support—240 in favor, four opposed, and 12 abstentions out of 256 lawmakers present—and is set to take effect next year.
The move comes despite Korea holding just 2 percent of the global research share in synthetic biology, compared to 25 percent and 16 percent by the U.S. and China, respectively, according to a January report.
But with the Synthetic Biology Promotion Act, Korea is now the first country to lay legal groundwork for a comprehensive national strategy in a field expected to transform drug development and biomanufacturing.
Korea has passed the world’s first national law supporting synthetic biology, signaling a strategic push into AI-powered biotech.
Korea has passed the world’s first national law supporting synthetic biology, signaling a strategic push into AI-powered biotech.
“This sets a critical milestone,” said Science and ICT Minister Yoo Sang-im, who’s led the government’s push to establish a legal framework for synthetic biology—a field he says holds “boundless potential.”
The law mandates the creation of a five-year national plan and annual implementation roadmaps. It also authorizes the formation of a national council bringing together government, academia, and industry to coordinate R&D, training, infrastructure, and international partnerships. Safety oversight, IP support, and the buildout of automated biofoundries—key infrastructure for engineering living systems at scale—are also part of the legislative blueprint.
Synthetic biology, loosely defined, rewires cells to build biological parts and systems—faster, more modular, and easier to scale than traditional genetic engineering, especially with AI in the mix.
That’s made it a hotbed of competition. The U.S. launched its BioFoundry project last year, setting up a closed-loop testbed at the FDA. China is backing the tech through its 14th Five-Year Plan, targeting bio-agriculture, energy and manufacturing.
On the commercial side, Pfizer and Moderna used synthetic biology to speed up mRNA vaccine timelines. Tonix is advancing a synthetic horsepox vaccine under NIH’s Project NextGen. Eli Lilly has scaled the tech for insulin production, while Nvidia is pushing drug discovery with its BioNeMo generative AI platform.
With Korea now legally committing to the sector, the competition could intensify. McKinsey projects the synthetic biology market could top $4 trillion by 2030—triple the size of the global semiconductor market.
Korea’s new law gives the government authority to fund national R&D projects, establish and operate dedicated biofoundries, support workforce development, and enable global collaboration. A one-year grace period kicks in following Cabinet approval and official promulgation.
“The government will do its utmost to implement follow-up measures, including drafting detailed legislation and engaging with the field,” Minister Yoo said in Wednesday's statement.