South Korea opens first military AI center for robot training

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense has inaugurated its first artificial intelligence research center in Pangyo Techno Valley, south of Seoul. The facility is dedicated to developing physical AI to train humanoid and multi-legged robots for high-risk military missions, such as mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, and detecting hazardous chemicals.

Operated in partnership with Ajou University, the Pangyo center focuses on hardware-software integration. This is the first of five planned regional specialized AI defense centers across the country. Future sites include Yongsan in Seoul for command and control applications, Daejeon for agentic AI, Busan for maritime logistics, and Yangjae for automated target recognition for the Air Force.

The initiative aims to create a world-class center for physical AI, allowing robotic systems to perceive and interact with their physical environment. This automation strategy is also intended to address military personnel shortages caused by declining birth rates in South Korea.