South Korean physical AI and robotics development

South Korea is advancing its physical AI and robotics capabilities through large-scale industrial and academic initiatives. In Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do province, Pohang City, and Neuromeka have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the nation’s first ‘physical AI robot foundry’ at the Yeongilman Industrial Complex. This two-stage, 180 billion won project aims to build production facilities for collaborative, industrial, humanoid, and autonomous mobile robots by 2027, followed by the development of a ‘data foundry’ and AI data center.

Complementing these industrial efforts, Yeungnam University has been awarded 11 billion KRW through the ‘2026 AI Star Fellowship’ to develop manufacturing humanoid AI. Led by the Humanoid Manufacturing AI Nexus (HuMAN) research group, this project focuses on integrating AI semiconductors, design platforms, and autonomous manipulation technologies. The academic initiative seeks to bolster the regional ecosystem by training specialists and collaborating with local industry partners for the commercialization of humanoid technologies.