AI-equipped quadruped robots will soon patrol parks and walkways to detect hazardous situations. Additionally, humanoid robots will be tested in key manufacturing sectors such as semiconductors, automotive, and shipbuilding.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held the 6th Industrial Convergence Regulatory Exception Review Committee on October 13, discussing regulatory exceptions for industries like AI, robotics, and energy, as well as improvements to regulations for manufacturing AI transition (M.AX). Regulatory exceptions allow for temporary permits or demonstrations under specific conditions when existing regulations hinder the application of new technologies.
During this meeting, the first regulatory exception for quadruped robots patrolling pedestrian roads was approved. As a result, Mind AI will conduct autonomous patrols with quadruped robots along walking paths and parks in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.
The robots will use AI to analyze their surroundings in real-time. In the event of a dangerous situation, they will broadcast evacuation instructions to residents and transmit on-site video information to a monitoring system. This development is expected to expand patrol capabilities to areas such as stairs, slopes, and blind spots that traditional wheeled patrol robots cannot access.
In manufacturing and logistics, demonstrations using mobile humanoid robots will also be initiated. Robros will deploy 20 humanoid robots at semiconductor, automotive, shipbuilding, and logistics sites, including Nepas, Seongwoo Hightech, HD Hyundai Samho, and Delivery Lab, to verify the potential for AI transition in manufacturing processes.
Key demonstration targets include precision cleaning of semiconductor components, placement of automotive body parts, loading of fixed components at shipyard work platforms, and loading of refrigerated logistics packaging. Current industrial safety regulations assume that industrial robots are fixed and mandate the installation of safety fences, which has restricted the deployment of mobile humanoid robots in workspaces.
This regulatory exception allows for on-site demonstrations of mobile humanoid robots with enhanced safety standards. This marks the first instance of expanding humanoid applications beyond simple item transport to include precision cleaning and low-temperature logistics tasks. However, this measure is a demonstration exception to verify safety and does not entail a blanket removal of related regulations across all manufacturing sites.
Demonstrations are also underway in the AI cybersecurity sector. Sands Lab and Bundang CHA Hospital plan to test a security platform that uses AI to analyze data flows inside and outside the hospital, detecting abnormal information leaks and cyber threats early.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is working on regulatory improvements necessary for the widespread adoption of manufacturing AI, beyond individual project exceptions. By early 2028, it aims to establish tailored cybersecurity standards for small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises adopting AI.
Additionally, to reduce 'AI washing'—the practice of advertising products as AI-enabled when they only have basic automated control functions—the ministry will develop standards defining AI appliances and their technological levels. A draft standard is expected by the end of this year, with formal standardization procedures beginning next year.
Minister Kim Jeong-kwan stated, "AI technology is advancing at a pace that regulations struggle to keep up with. We must proactively innovate regulations to match technological advancements and swiftly eliminate institutional bottlenecks that hinder the application of new technologies in industrial settings." He added, "We will accelerate the pace of regulatory rationalization based on feedback from the field to actively support the spread of M.AX."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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