Government to distribute one million robots by 2030

The Korean government plans to invest $2.3 billion in the domestic robotics industry by 2030.

This file photo taken on Dec. 12, 2023, shows a service robot under demonstration during a convention held in Seoul. [YONHAP]

The Korean government plans to invest 3 trillion won ($2.3 billion) and distribute 1 million robots by 2030 to bolster the competitiveness of the domestic robotics industry.

The move is in line with the government's efforts to disseminate robot technologies into emerging industries such as space and aviation, as well as traditional manufacturing sectors, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

“The government plans to make efforts to expand investment and create new overseas opportunities in order to foster the robot industry as a new growth engine while acquiring technology competitiveness that meets global standards,” Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu said.

The country plans to secure eight key technologies for the robot industry through the investment, including automation. A comprehensive road map is expected to be released by the first half of 2024.

The number of robot companies with annual sales above 100 billion won will also reach 30 by 2030, compared to just five that were tallied in 2021.

The government also plans to raise the number of service robots to 700,000 by the target year, leapfrogging the current estimate of 63,000.

On the back of such efforts, the ministry expects the size of the local robot industry to reach more than 20 trillion won in 2030, rising sharply from the current estimate of 5.6 trillion won.

BY PARK EUN-JEE, YONHAP [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]