The government plans to prioritize the distribution of over 1,700 artificial intelligence (AI) robots in the public sector next year to stimulate the initial market. The initiative aims to verify the performance and operational conditions of robots needed in public fields such as defense, firefighting, and law enforcement, while connecting domestic robot companies with demand institutions to enhance practical utilization.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will hold a "2026 Public Demand Linked Four-Wheeled & Quadruped Robot Product Presentation" from October 28 to 29 at the Seoul Trade Exhibition and Convention Center (SETEC). This event is designed for demand institutions to discuss necessary functions, performance, and operational conditions with robot companies ahead of the public sector robot distribution.
The government intends to secure a growth foundation for the domestic AI robot industry by distributing over 1,700 AI robots in the public sector next year. The plan is to ensure that robots are utilized in real-world settings, allowing for the collection of operational data and continuous improvement of product performance.
Nine demand institutions, including the Ministry of National Defense, the Army Headquarters, the National Fire Agency, the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation, will participate in the presentation. Eleven major domestic four-wheeled and quadruped robot companies, including Rainbow Robotics, Robotis, Hyundai Motor Company, and Newability, will also be present.
The event will feature product presentations by companies, case studies, product exhibitions, live demonstrations, and one-on-one consultations between demand institutions and robot companies. Companies will showcase the main functions and performance of their robots, along with examples of civilian applications. Demand institutions will discuss specific requirements regarding functions, scale, costs, and validation conditions with the companies. Based on the consultation results, a survey of robot adoption needs for each institution will be conducted.
This presentation focuses on clarifying the necessary robots and operational conditions based on actual demand in public fields, rather than having the government unilaterally select robot products. However, the target of distributing over 1,700 robots in the public sector next year refers to the overall plan for AI robots and is not limited to the quadruped and four-wheeled robots participating in this presentation.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy plans to work with relevant departments to establish guidelines for public robot distribution by the end of the year to ensure that the initiative does not result in one-time purchases. The guidelines will include connections with domestic robot parts companies, collection and utilization of operational data, and management matters needed after robot adoption, such as maintenance.
Additionally, from November 4 to 7, an exhibition will be held at KINTEX in Goyang, showcasing quadruped and four-wheeled robots, humanoids, and care robots as part of the "2026 RoboWorld" event.
The ministry stated, "We will support public institutions in directly verifying various robot products and finding suitable utilization methods for their operations."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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