The global surgical robot market has long been effectively monopolized by a specific overseas corporations that built thousands of patent barriers, making new entry difficult. The high price of equipment and excessive maintenance expense have led to a greater medical expense burden for patients and have also become a threshold blocking the introduction of cutting-edge robotic surgery at public and local hospitals. Even in this market environment, there is a corporations that issued a challenge with proprietary technology and succeeded in "localization." It is meerecompany , founded in 1984. After more than 10 years of research and development (R&D), meerecompany unveiled Revo-i, the first domestically developed laparoscopic surgical robot, and is making its presence felt in the global medical device market. Revo-i was selected as a "next-generation world-class product" by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources in 2025 and, on July, became the first endoscopic surgical robot designated as an "innovative product." Its technological prowess and public value have been recognized in quick succession. We interviewed meerecompany CEO Kim Jun-gu, who is leading the globalization of K-medical robots based on the synergy of its trio of display and semiconductor equipment, 3D sensor businesses, and surgical robots.
Explain meerecompany and the Revo-i surgical robot.
"Since its founding in 1984, meerecompany has been a high-tech corporations with proprietary technology that has led the global market in display and semiconductor processing equipment. Based on world-class ultra-precision control and mechatronics technology accumulated in equipment and sensor fields, we created Revo-i, the No. 1 domestically produced laparoscopic surgical robot, after 10 years of R&D. Revo-i is a cutting-edge platform that performs precision surgery by making minimal incisions in the patient's body and inserting a high-resolution 3D camera endoscope and delicate multi-joint surgical instruments. It was designed with deep consideration for the surgical convenience of medical staff and the needs of clinical settings, and it dramatically lowered the barriers to robotic surgery with sophisticated, intuitive instrument handling and reasonable introduction and maintenance expense."
What is meerecompany 's greatest competitive strength?
"Although each business unit operates independently to maximize expertise, at its core lies the shared technological DNA—'ultra-precision control, optical mechatronics, and high-reliability manufacturing'—that meerecompany has cultivated over 40 years. The micrometer (μm)-level precision control capabilities proven in the equipment division and the 3D optical technology know-how of the sensor division are technological asset that enabled us to take on the highly challenging medical device field and rapidly secure technical completeness. Furthermore, we are gradually expanding R&D collaboration to create proprietary synergies, such as organically linking 3D sensors to next-generation surgical robots or combining physical AI1) technology."
The surgical robot market is said to be monopolized by a specific overseas corporations.
"That's right. It was a field monopolized by a specific overseas leading vendor that built thousands of patent barriers. The most challenging tasks were to develop a proprietary wrist joint structure with improved range of rotation and degrees of freedom while avoiding the patent rights of overseas vendors, and to build an ultra-precision real-time control algorithm that precisely follows the surgeon's hand movements while delivering subtle internal resistance feedback. meerecompany chose an independent path from fundamental technologies instead of imitation. Through countless simulations, animal trials, and structured clinical studies with institutions including Severance Hospital, we proved safety and efficacy with data and were able to complete our own multi-joint surgical instrument system that overcame patent barriers."
What is your strategy for entering the global market?
"We focused on emerging and newly developing markets that had not benefited from robotic surgery due to the high introduction expense of foreign-made equipment and excessive maintenance expense. We installed Revo-i in operating rooms at top-tier hospitals in key hub countries, including Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Paraguay, and Morocco. Our core strategy does not end with simply selling equipment. We are pursuing a 'close-contact localization strategy' that offers a package of customized training programs for local medical staff, rapid customer service (CS), and technical support. Compared with global giant corporations, we have a clear advantage: overwhelming price competitiveness for equivalent surgical performance and prompt after-sales service, allowing us to rapidly elevate the status of K-medical robots."
External conditions such as raw material price fluctuations and trade barriers are not easy.
"Medical devices are the industry most affected by each country's regulatory approvals (RA) and protectionism. To respond to global trade uncertainty, we are taking a two-track approach. First, we are significantly strengthening dedicated clinical professionals to proactively respond to tightened global medical device regulations and thoroughly prepare country-specific certification processes. Second, we are expanding strategic alliances with leading local medical device distribution partners and government agencies to shorten approval timelines and minimize supply chain risk factors. We are actively leveraging government support programs, including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, to continuously enhance our analysis of overseas trade information and our ability to respond to local regulations."
What are your future goals and what do you ask of the government?
"In the short term, we will accelerate the supply of Revo-i to domestic public hospitals and significantly raise our market share in emerging countries centered on the overseas footholds we have already entered. In the long term, we will complete a high-tech convergence that connects surgical robots, equipment, and 3D cameras and leap forward as a 'global deep-tech corporations that saves human lives with technology.' The cutting-edge medical device industry is directly linked to national bio-health security and technological sovereignty. We hope to see continuous improvements to the national health insurance reimbursement system so that domestic advanced medical technology can be evaluated fairly, along with proactive adoption incentives for public hospitals and support connected to overseas regulatory approvals."
Terminology
1) Physical AI
AI that controls and acts on physical objects such as robots, autonomous vehicles, and smart manufacturing systems.
※ This article was published in the September issue of the monthly 'Trade.' Please search for 'Monthly Trade' on Naver.