Korea's Government-Backed Initiative to Drive Next-Generation Sustainable Cosmetics R&D

On the 10th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced its support for the 'Innovative Growth Skin Health Technology Development Project', led by the Skin-Based Technology Development Team under the direction of Jaeseong Hwang. This initiative aims to lay the groundwork for the '(tentatively named) Next-Generation Sustainable Cosmetics Technology Development Project', set to commence in 2028, following a strategic technology demand survey.

The primary objective of this survey is to gather insights from a wide range of stakeholders—including businesses, universities, research institutions, hospitals, and evaluation agencies—to identify future growth drivers and strengthen sustainable technological competitiveness within the cosmetics industry. H&P Partners has been designated as the organization responsible for conducting this survey, validating the importance of collaboration across various sectors.

Results from this survey will serve as foundational data for outlining strategic projects and specifics of the upcoming venture. Notably, the intent is not only to build upon the achievements of existing projects but also to adapt to the evolving global market landscape and emerging industry demands by facilitating the discovery of new R&D projects in sustainable cosmetics.

The survey will proceed based on preliminary technology demand frameworks generated from expert interviews and meetings. The current scope includes three main areas: future source technologies for skin health, global evaluation technologies, and AI-based support for cosmetics development. The project team aims to refine these proposals by incorporating field feedback and additional suggestions during the survey process.

The research methodology is broadly structured to capture essential insights into technology demand across key focus areas, challenges in the field, the necessity of government support, and potential project names. Following this process, the collected demands will be subject to review by an expert planning committee to assess their feasibility for integration into new projects.

Additionally, once the new project planning reaches a certain level of specificity, a more in-depth technology demand survey will follow, designed to further elaborate on potential technologies identified in the initial phase and to analyze the practical viability and industry impact.

Target participants for this initiative include experts across the cosmetics industry value chain, alongside stakeholders from companies, universities, research institutions, hospitals, and evaluation bodies. Participants are encouraged to propose necessary technology development needs and common challenges requiring government support.

A representative from the project team emphasized, “As our nation’s cosmetics industry secures a strong competitive foothold in the global market and cements its status as a key export sector, the need for government R&D support is becoming increasingly critical. It is vital to uncover common obstacles and promising future technologies that the private sector alone may struggle to address.” They further urged active participation from experts across related fields to ensure that the new cosmetics R&D initiative, set to launch in 2028, significantly contributes to industry advancements.

The technology demand survey is accessible via a provided link and can also be confirmed on the Skin-Based Technology Development Team's official website.