The government is moving in earnest to develop a "Korean-style artificial intelligence (AI) humanoid" that can see, hear, judge, and move like a person.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said on the 18th that it held a kickoff meeting for the "public-private partnership-based AI humanoid fundamental technology advancement project" at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and will launch a cooperation system bringing together industry, academia, research institutes, and hospitals.
An AI humanoid is a technology that combines AI with a human-shaped robot, referring to a robot that perceives its surroundings, understands human speech, and plans and performs tasks on its own. It can be used in various settings such as factories, logistics, hospitals, and care facilities, and is drawing attention as a core field in the next-generation robot market.
The project is one of the key tasks of "K-Moonshot," a program that uses AI to tackle national science and technology challenges. The government aims to develop a flagship AI humanoid platform that combines intelligence and physical capabilities by investing a total of 50.4 billion won from 2026 to 2030.
KIST will lead the project. From industry, LG Electronics, LG AI Research Institute, LG Energy Solution, Robostar, and WeRobotics will participate, while academia including Seoul National University, KAIST, Korea University, and Kyunghee University, as well as Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, will also join forces. The aim is to create a structure that goes beyond research to encompass technology development, mass production, and real-world validation.
The focus is not on developing hardware, software, and AI technologies separately, but on integrating them into a single package and advancing them. Based on the humanoid platform "KAPEX" developed by KIST, LG Electronics will develop a next-generation human-type robot model with mass production in mind. WeRobotics plans to improve a mobile human-type robot platform for use in public environments.
AI technology development corresponding to the robot's "brain" will proceed in parallel. The research team will develop an artificial intelligence model that integrates visual, tactile, language, and action information to comprehend and make judgments.
LG Energy Solution will apply high-safety solid-state battery technology to the robot platform to reduce fire risk and build a humanoid that can operate stably for long periods. Through this, the company plans to take the lead in future global safety standards competitions.
The developed technologies will be validated in actual medical and care settings. The research team plans to deploy more than 20 humanoids at sites including Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital to assess capabilities such as daily living assistance, public services, and long-duration complex task performance. The goal is to verify safety and reliability in real environments rather than laboratories.
Kim Seong-su, director general for research and development policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "This project is a starting point to build Korea's flagship AI humanoid platform by bundling AI, humanoids, batteries, mass production technologies, and demonstration capabilities into one," adding, "We will pool the strengths of industry, academia, research institutes, and hospitals to help Korea secure leadership in the global AI humanoid market."