Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences

What Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences does

Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (KIRAMS) is a South Korean government-funded public medical and research institution headquartered at 75 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul. Operating since 1963, it combines the Korea Cancer Center Hospital (원자력병원), the Research Institute of Radiological Medicine, the National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, and the National RI New Drug Center (RI신약센터) under a single organizational umbrella. The institution delivers comprehensive cancer care across 14 dedicated cancer centers (thyroid, breast, lung, colorectal, liver, stomach, urologic, hematologic, esophageal, cervical/ovarian, head and neck, bone/soft tissue sarcoma, genetic, and spinal) alongside 30+ clinical departments, plus specialized centers for CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery, robotic surgery (Revo-i), gastrointestinal endoscopy, hospice and palliative care, cerebrovascular disease (launched March 2025), and a renovated Health Promotion Center (relaunched June 2026).

Underlying capabilities include domestic-first deployment of advanced radiation modalities in Korea: the country's first cobalt therapy machine (1963), first medical cyclotron-driven radioisotope production (1989), first PET/CT (2003), first PET/MRI (2009), first CyberKnife (2002), and first domestic robotic surgery platform (Revo-i, 2021). The institution produces radioisotopes for domestic hospitals, conducts radiopharmaceutical R&D under GLP/GMP conditions, operates a KOLAS-accredited biological resource bank, and leads international standards work (e.g., IEC neutron capture therapy device standard). It coordinates a nationwide network of 24 radiation emergency medical institutions under Korea's Nuclear Facilities Protection Act and was designated an IAEA Rays of Hope Anchor Centre in November 2024.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: (1) patient medical services billed largely under Korea's National Health Insurance fee schedule, (2) government R&D grants from the Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and related bodies, (3) fee-based health screening programs including occupational screening (e.g., lung cancer screening for school meal workers via Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education), and (4) technology licensing royalties, exemplified by the 2019 transfer of pulmonary fibrosis treatment IP to OncoVix. Customers include the general Korean public for cancer care, government ministries for national programs (including radiation health monitoring of North Korean defectors from near the Punggye-ri nuclear test site), domestic biotech/pharma firms for radiopharmaceutical development support, and international partners via IAEA fellowship hosting and ASEAN radiation therapy training programs.

Name

Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences

Legal name

Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (한국원자력의학원)

Website

https://kirams.re.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

KIRAMS is a South Korean government-funded public medical institution that operates the Korea Cancer Center Hospital, 14 specialized cancer centers, and the National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, delivering radiation-based cancer treatment, nuclear medicine, radiopharmaceutical R&D, and national radiation emergency response.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radiation Medicine and Cancer Treatment Services

NAICS

Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (622310), Diagnostic Imaging Centers (621512)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAFAHAC

Oncology & Cancer Specialty Hospitals

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Specialty Hospitals & Inpatient Specialty Care

SECONDARYHLAKAFAC

Radiation Oncology

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Hematology & Oncology

SECONDARYHLAFAKAB

Advanced Imaging & Specialty Radiology Centers (PET/CT, Nuclear Medicine, Interventional Radiology)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Diagnostic & Imaging Centers

SECONDARYHLAIAGAI

Nuclear Medicine Clinical Services & Therapy Centers

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Pharmaceuticals/Radiopharmaceuticals & Nuclear Medicine

Keywords

• Radiation oncology services
• Cancer treatment hospital
• Radiopharmaceutical development
• Radiation emergency response
• Nuclear medicine imaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Medical Services Revenue: Revenue from patient medical services including consultations, diagnostics, radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, chemotherapy, and inpatient care. As a public medical institution, fees are governed by national health insurance schemes (National Health Insurance Service).
2. Government-funded Research Grants: Core funding from the Korean government as a public research institution. Receives grants from Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea Research Foundation, and other government bodies for R&D in radiation medicine, nuclear medicine, and cancer treatment.
3. Technology Licensing: Revenue from licensing patents and technology to pharmaceutical and medical device companies (e.g., technology transfer to OncoVix for pulmonary fibrosis treatment).
4. Health Screening Services: Paid health screening programs including premium health checkup packages and occupational health screening services (e.g., lung cancer screening for school meal workers).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (KIRAMS) operates South Korea's premier public cancer hospital (Korea Cancer Center Hospital / 원자력병원) delivering radiation-based cancer diagnosis, treatment, and research services. The institution provides comprehensive oncology care including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy (CyberKnife, SBRT, IMRT), nuclear medicine (PET/CT, PET/MRI), robotic surgery, and palliative care across 14 dedicated cancer centers, complemented by national radiation emergency medical response coordination and domestic radiopharmaceutical development.

Product overview

Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (KIRAMS) is a comprehensive medical institution comprising the Nuclear Medicine Hospital (원자력병원), the Research Institute of Radiological Medicine (방사선의학연구소), the National Radiation Emergency Medical Center (국가방사선비상진료센터), and the National RI New Drug Center (국가RI신약센터). The hospital operates 14 cancer centers (including thyroid, breast, lung, colorectal, liver, stomach, urologic, blood, esophageal, head/neck, bone/soft tissue, cervical/ovarian, genetic, and spinal cancer centers) and multiple specialized departments covering areas such as family medicine, internal medicine subspecialties, surgery, and diagnostic services. Specialized centers include robotic surgery, CyberKnife radiosurgery, gastrointestinal endoscopy, hospice palliative care, cerebrovascular, and health promotion. The institution also maintains biobank infrastructure (national radiation blood and tissue resource banks) and various specialty clinics for conditions including neurodevelopmental disorders, growth issues, diabetes, pain management, and obesity. Founded in 1963 as Korea's first radiation medicine facility, KIRAMS pioneered radiation therapy in the country and continues to lead in cancer treatment technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Korea Cancer Center Hospital (원자력병원) Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Services
• National Radiation Emergency Medical Center Services (국가방사선비상진료센터)
• National RI New Drug Center Services (국가RI신약센터)
• Health Promotion Center Health Screening Services (건강증진센터)
• Hospice Palliative Care Center Services (호스피스완화의료센터)
• CyberKnife Stereotactic Radiosurgery Services (사이버나이프센터)
• Robotic Surgery Services (로봇수술센터)
• Cerebrovascular Center Services (뇌혈관센터)
• Research Institute of Radiological Medicine Services (방사선의학연구소)

Quantifiable outcome

• 3-year survival rate of 76% for liver cancer patients treated with SBRT (74 patients in multi-center clinical trial)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• NASHIM (Japan)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Japanese NASHIM (Nuclear Abnormalities Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki) delegation visited KIRAMS on March 9, 2026 to strengthen Korea-Japan cooperation in radiation emergency medical response and nuclear medicine.
• Hiroshima University (Japan)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2026MOU renewal ceremony held on January 9, 2026 for continued cooperation in radiation emergency medical response and nuclear medicine between KIRAMS and Hiroshima University.
• FMU (Florence McKenzie Training, Australia)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2025KIRAMS-FMU International Cooperation Symposium on Radiation Emergency Medical Response and Nuclear Medicine held in December 2025.
• Future CompanymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 17 June 2025MOA signed on June 19, 2025 for cooperation in medical staff education and training programs, specifically for domestic and international medical professional robotic surgery education using KIRAMS as a training hub.
• H Guard (Hcguard Inc.)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2025Collaboration with KIRAMS Evidence-Based Medicine Center for development of an electrochemical sensor for detecting multiple prostate disease biomarkers using semiconductor process technology.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024KIRAMS has maintained a formal working arrangement with IAEA since 2011. In November 2024, KIRAMS was designated an IAEA Rays of Hope Anchor Centre. The institution hosts the IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme, selecting graduate students for 6-12 month internships and international networking. Five KIRAMS graduate students were selected for this fellowship in 2026.
• Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN, France)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2024MOA renewal signed on April 30, 2024 for cooperation in radiation health impact research. IRSN is France's nuclear safety and radiation protection research institute.
• Seoul National University Hospital, Boramae Medical Center, National Cancer Center, Ewha Womans University HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2019Joint faculty participation in the ASEAN Radiation Therapy Trainer Training Course hosted by KIRAMS, supported by the Korea-ASEAN Economic Cooperation Fund and RCA (Regional Cooperative Agreement) secretariat. Eight ASEAN countries participated.
• OncoVix Co., Ltd.majorTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2019Technology transfer agreement signed on November 18, 2019 for KIRAMS-developed pulmonary fibrosis treatment patent and know-how. OncoVix is an anticancer drug development biotech company. KIRAMS Dr. Lee Yun-jin's research team developed the technology showing a targeted lung cancer drug's efficacy for radiation-induced and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
• Korea Pasteur InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Cooperative partner in the pulmonary fibrosis treatment research that led to the OncoVix technology transfer.
• Korea Post (Korea Post Headquarters)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019MOU signed for public health cooperation and community health promotion.
• Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Joint operation of SeoulTech-KIRAMS Graduate School of Biomedical Science (의과학대학원). The program combines SeoulTech academic resources with KIRAMS clinical research infrastructure to train radiation medicine specialists. In 2026, 4 students from this program were selected for the IAEA fellowship.
• Korea University of Science and Technology (UST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013UST-KIRAMS campus operates as a joint graduate program for master's and doctoral studies in radiation medical science. UST-KIRAMS provides integrated academic training combined with KIRAMS research facilities. 1 student from UST-KIRAMS was selected for the IAEA fellowship in 2026.
• Cheongshim International Medical Center (Korea)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013MOU for international medical cooperation and exchange.
• Seoul National University College of Veterinary Medicine (Korea)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013MOU for veterinary medicine and animal research collaboration.
• Kanasawa Medical Clinic (Japan)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013MOU for radiation medicine research cooperation.
• Cheil Hospital (Korea)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Cooperation agreement for genetic research collaboration.
• Mongolia National Cancer CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Cooperation agreement for radiation medicine and cancer treatment technology exchange with Mongolia's national cancer center.
• Gunma University Hospital (Japan)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Cooperation agreement for academic and research exchange in radiation medicine with Gunma University Hospital in Japan.
• Russia Medical Radiological Research Center (MRRC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Cooperation agreement with Russia's Medical Radiological Research Center for radiation medicine research exchange.
• Kazakhstan Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Cooperation agreement for nuclear physics and radiation medicine research exchange.
• Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Mutual cooperation agreement between Korea's two major nuclear institutions for joint research in radiation medicine, emergency response, and nuclear science. Regular liaison meetings held.
• Tianjin Cancer Hospital (China)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Annual joint symposium held with Tianjin Cancer Hospital (China) covering digestive cancer research and treatment case sharing since 2004.
• Vietnam Tran Hung Dao HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Technology cooperation agreement in radiation medicine for cancer treatment between KIRAMS and Vietnam's Tran Hung Dao Hospital.
• Indonesia Nuclear Energy Research CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Cooperation agreement for radiation medicine research with Indonesia's nuclear energy research center.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC, USA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002MOU signed September 13, 2002 with joint conferences held regularly. MSKCC is one of the world's leading cancer centers.
• National Cancer Center (Korea)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Mutual cooperation agreement for national cancer control programs and specialized cancer treatment collaboration.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Cancer Center (Korea): Korea's other national cancer specialty institution, formally partnered with KIRAMS. Operates a comprehensive cancer hospital, screening, and research programs in Goyang, comparable in mission and scope to KIRAMS's Korea Cancer Center Hospital.
• QST (National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Japan, formerly NIRS): Japan's national radiation sciences research institute operating heavy ion therapy and radiation medicine research. Functionally analogous to KIRAMS as a publicly funded national radiation medicine center with clinical and research arms.
• Hiroshima University Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine: Japan's premier academic radiation medicine research institute, with whom KIRAMS renewed an MOU on January 2026 for cooperation in radiation emergency response and nuclear medicine. Direct international peer in radiation medical sciences.
• Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN): France's national radiation protection and nuclear safety research institute with whom KIRAMS renewed an MOA in April 2024. Comparable as a national publicly funded radiation safety and emergency response research body.

Broad incumbents

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: U.S. comprehensive cancer center and KIRAMS's long-standing MOU partner since 2002. While far larger and privately operated, it shares the model of integrating clinical oncology with research and radiation therapy leadership globally.
• Asan Medical Center: Korea's largest hospital by patient volume with a major cancer center. Competes with KIRAMS for Korean cancer patients but operates on a much broader multi-specialty scale.
• Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH): Top Korean academic medical center and ASEAN radiation therapy training program partner. Offers comprehensive cancer care including radiation oncology, broadly comparable in clinical depth but much larger in scale.
• Samsung Medical Center: Major Korean private cancer hospital with strong radiation oncology program. Competes for Korean cancer patients with greater private-sector flexibility and brand recognition.
• MD Anderson Cancer Center: Global benchmark for comprehensive cancer centers with deep radiation therapy capabilities. Relevant as the international standard KIRAMS aims to enter the top 7 of through its VISION+7 strategy.
• Institut Curie (France): European cancer center combining hospital, research, and radiotherapy with deep radiation medicine heritage. Comparable as a research-driven comprehensive cancer hospital with significant radiation focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences