# Merck opens €300m South Korea plant for regional biopharma

*The 44,500-square-meter Daejeon facility produces dry cell culture media and process liquids to cut lead times for contract manufacturers across the Asia-Pacific region.*

**Published:** November 1, 2026  
**By:** Mina Okoro  
**Section:** Analysis & Comparison — Cross-border  
**Format:** Asia Compare  
**Confidence:** high  
**Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/analysis/merck-opens-300m-south-korea-plant-regional-biopharma-1052  
**Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/)

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## What to know

- Merck completes €300 million ($334 million) bioprocessing center in Daejeon on Oct. 29, 2026
- Facility directly supplies South Korea's CDMO hub, where Samsung Biologics operates 604,000 liters of capacity
- Merck plans to expand the Daejeon workforce to 300 personnel by the end of 2028

![Technicians in protective gear operate stainless steel machinery inside the bioprocessing production center in Daejeon. (AI-generated image)](https://eastasiabrief.com/media/2026-10-31-8a5fd893bc40.webp)
*Technicians in protective gear operate stainless steel machinery inside the bioprocessing production center in Daejeon. (AI-generated image)*

Merck KGaA opened its 300 million euro ($334 million) bioprocessing production center in Daejeon, South Korea, on Oct. 29, 2026, anchoring regional supply for critical biologic drug inputs.

The 44,500-square-meter complex in the Dungok district represents the largest life science investment that Merck has made in the Asia-Pacific region. The facility sits 140 kilometers south of Seoul within the International Science and Business Belt.

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Cite as: East Asia Brief, "Merck opens €300m South Korea plant for regional biopharma," November 1, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/analysis/merck-opens-300m-south-korea-plant-regional-biopharma-1052