Korea's National Audit Highlights Humanoid Gap

Recap

Source: 헬로디디, report of Oct. 6, 2026

According to the report, a National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Science and ICT featured a live demonstration of two Chinese humanoid robots, one from Unitree and one from Agibot. The robots performed various movements, including greeting in Korean and dancing, to illustrate the rapid advancement of the Chinese robotics sector.

Lawmakers cited data from Omdia stating that global humanoid production reached 13,318 units last year, a 480% increase from the previous year, with the top six producers all being Chinese companies. The report notes that China has over 160 finished humanoid firms and 600 core component makers, with an annual investment of approximately 30 billion yuan. In contrast, South Korea has only 53 hardware-focused AI companies out of 2,814 total, and its share of humanoid patents is 4.6% compared to China's 60.8%. The audit also highlighted that domestic research institutions like KIST and ETRI currently utilize Chinese-made robots for their work.

The session also addressed the retention of scientific talent. Data presented showed that the number of young scientists leaving the country increased by about 20% between 2018 and 2024. Lawmakers pointed out that the average salary for regular staff at national research institutes is lower than that of major private corporations, and that the 'Brain to Korea' initiative has seen only 16% of recruited overseas researchers remain after three years.

Context

South Korea has traditionally been a leader in industrial automation and semiconductor manufacturing, but the shift toward general-purpose humanoid robots has exposed a gap in its physical AI ecosystem. While the country possesses strong software and algorithmic capabilities, the hardware and data accumulation required for large-scale physical AI training have lagged behind China's aggressive industrial push. The 'Brain to Korea' program is a recent government effort to reverse the long-standing trend of domestic talent migrating to the US and Europe for post-doctoral research.

Robot's take

The audit reveals a critical strategic pivot: South Korea is moving from a software-centric AI strategy to one that prioritizes physical hardware and data. The presence of Chinese robots in domestic labs suggests that local firms may be relying on foreign hardware to develop their own AI models, which could limit their long-term independence. The government's commitment to 'mega-projects' for physical AI is a promising step, but the success of this shift will depend on whether it can create a stable, competitive environment that keeps young researchers at home rather than just importing established talent.