GITNUXREPORT 2026

South Korea Robotics Industry Statistics

South Korea is a top global robotics leader with strong market growth.

Jannik Lindner

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

South Korea has 450 robotics companies as of 2023.

Statistic 2

Employment in robotics industry: 45,000 workers in 2023.

Statistic 3

Hyundai Robotics employs 2,500 staff and leads in industrial robots.

Statistic 4

Samsung Electronics' robotics division has 1,200 engineers.

Statistic 5

Doosan Robotics, a key cobot maker, has 800 employees in 2023.

Statistic 6

Hanwha Robotics employs 650 people focusing on collaborative robots.

Statistic 7

Robotics startups in South Korea numbered 120 in 2023.

Statistic 8

Average salary in robotics sector: 65 million KRW annually in 2023.

Statistic 9

LG Electronics robotics team size: 900 employees.

Statistic 10

KAIST Robotics Lab employs 200 researchers.

Statistic 11

Robotics industry job growth: 12% YoY in 2023.

Statistic 12

Top 10 robotics firms account for 70% of employment.

Statistic 13

Women in robotics workforce: 25% in 2023.

Statistic 14

Robotics engineers shortage: 10,000 positions unfilled in 2023.

Statistic 15

Pohang University of Science and Technology robotics center: 150 staff.

Statistic 16

Robotis, humanoid robot maker, employs 400.

Statistic 17

SMEs in robotics: 350 firms, employing 15,000.

Statistic 18

Training programs graduated 5,000 robotics technicians in 2023.

Statistic 19

Foreign workers in robotics: 8% of total employment.

Statistic 20

Government robotics budget: 1.5 trillion KRW for 2023-2027.

Statistic 21

"Robot Industry Promotion Act" revised in 2023 to boost SMEs.

Statistic 22

Tax incentives for robotics firms: 30% R&D credit.

Statistic 23

National Robot Testbed Center established with 200 billion KRW.

Statistic 24

"Manufacturing Innovation 3.0" includes 500 billion KRW for robots.

Statistic 25

Robot voucher program: 100 billion KRW distributed to 1,000 SMEs.

Statistic 26

Defense robot procurement policy: 20% annual increase.

Statistic 27

Education ministry's robot curriculum in 80% of schools.

Statistic 28

Import tariff reduction on robot parts to 0% for locals.

Statistic 29

"Robot Powerhouse" vision targets top 3 global by 2030.

Statistic 30

Regional robot clusters funded with 300 billion KRW.

Statistic 31

Public robot leasing program for hospitals: 50 billion KRW.

Statistic 32

Standards development: 150 new robot safety standards in 2023.

Statistic 33

Export promotion fund for robotics: 150 billion KRW.

Statistic 34

Workforce training subsidy: 200 billion KRW for 20,000 trainees.

Statistic 35

Green robotics initiative: 100 billion KRW for eco-friendly tech.

Statistic 36

International robot fair subsidized with 50 billion KRW annually.

Statistic 37

Cybersecurity policy for robots: Mandatory certification.

Statistic 38

5G robot infrastructure investment: 400 billion KRW.

Statistic 39

SME robotics adoption target: 50% by 2027 with subsidies.

Statistic 40

South Korea's industrial robot market size reached approximately 1.2 trillion KRW in 2022, marking a 15% year-on-year growth driven by automotive and electronics sectors.

Statistic 41

The service robot market in South Korea is projected to grow at a CAGR of 22.5% from 2023 to 2030, reaching 5.8 trillion KRW by 2030.

Statistic 42

In 2023, South Korea's total robotics industry revenue hit 4.5 trillion KRW, with industrial robots accounting for 65% of the total.

Statistic 43

Robot density in South Korea's manufacturing sector stood at 1,012 units per 10,000 employees in 2022, the highest globally.

Statistic 44

The collaborative robot (cobot) segment in South Korea grew by 45% in 2023, valued at 150 billion KRW.

Statistic 45

South Korea's robotics market share in Asia-Pacific was 18% in 2022, second only to China.

Statistic 46

Domestic demand for industrial robots in South Korea increased to 28,000 units in 2023 from 24,500 in 2022.

Statistic 47

The medical robotics market in South Korea was valued at 300 billion KRW in 2023, with a 28% growth rate.

Statistic 48

Logistics robot installations in South Korea rose 35% YoY to 5,200 units in 2023.

Statistic 49

South Korea's humanoid robot market is expected to reach 1 trillion KRW by 2028.

Statistic 50

Overall robotics industry CAGR in South Korea from 2018-2023 was 12.8%.

Statistic 51

In 2022, the electronics sector accounted for 42% of South Korea's robot market.

Statistic 52

Agricultural robotics market in South Korea valued at 50 billion KRW in 2023, growing 20%.

Statistic 53

South Korea's robot market penetration in SMEs reached 15% in 2023.

Statistic 54

Projected robotics market size for 2025 in South Korea: 6.2 trillion KRW.

Statistic 55

Cleaning robot sales in South Korea hit 1.2 million units in 2023.

Statistic 56

Defense robotics expenditure grew to 400 billion KRW in 2023.

Statistic 57

South Korea's share of global robot market was 10.2% in 2022.

Statistic 58

Educational robot market valued at 200 billion KRW in 2023.

Statistic 59

Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model adoption led to 25% market growth in 2023.

Statistic 60

South Korea produced 45,000 industrial robots in 2023.

Statistic 61

Robot exports from South Korea reached 2.8 billion USD in 2023, up 18% YoY.

Statistic 62

In 2022, South Korea exported 32,000 industrial robot units worldwide.

Statistic 63

Automotive robot production capacity in South Korea is 15,000 units annually.

Statistic 64

Service robot production surged to 12,000 units in 2023.

Statistic 65

South Korea's robot component manufacturing output was 1.5 trillion KRW in 2023.

Statistic 66

Exports to China accounted for 40% of South Korea's robot exports in 2023.

Statistic 67

Domestic robot production localization rate reached 85% in 2023.

Statistic 68

Mobile robot production hit 8,500 units in 2023.

Statistic 69

South Korea's robot export value to the US was 800 million USD in 2023.

Statistic 70

Annual production of collaborative robots reached 4,200 units in 2023.

Statistic 71

Robot arm manufacturing output: 25,000 units in 2023.

Statistic 72

Exports of welding robots: 6,000 units in 2023 to automotive firms.

Statistic 73

South Korea produced 3,000 medical robots in 2023.

Statistic 74

Logistics robot exports grew 30% to 1,200 units in 2023.

Statistic 75

Humanoid robot prototypes produced: 150 units in 2023.

Statistic 76

Sensor production for robots: 500,000 units annually.

Statistic 77

Total robot production value: 3.2 trillion KRW in 2023.

Statistic 78

Export growth rate for service robots: 25% in 2023.

Statistic 79

R&D spending by robotics firms: 1.2 trillion KRW in 2023.

Statistic 80

Patents filed in robotics by South Koreans: 4,500 in 2023.

Statistic 81

Government R&D grants for robotics: 800 billion KRW in 2023.

Statistic 82

AI-integrated robots R&D investment: 300 billion KRW.

Statistic 83

Number of robotics research papers from South Korea: 2,800 in 2023.

Statistic 84

KAIST developed 50 new robot prototypes in 2023.

Statistic 85

Robotics R&D centers: 120 nationwide in 2023.

Statistic 86

Venture capital in robotics startups: 500 billion KRW in 2023.

Statistic 87

5G-enabled robot R&D projects: 45 funded in 2023.

Statistic 88

Exoskeleton robot innovations: 200 patents filed.

Statistic 89

University robotics funding: 250 billion KRW annually.

Statistic 90

Swarm robotics research grants: 100 billion KRW.

Statistic 91

Robot vision tech advancements: 1,500 citations in 2023.

Statistic 92

National Robotics R&D roadmap updated with 10 new tech areas.

Statistic 93

Private sector R&D: 70% of total robotics R&D spend.

Statistic 94

Haptics technology patents: 800 from Korean firms.

Statistic 95

Quantum sensor for robots developed by 3 labs.

Statistic 96

International collaborations: 60 robotics R&D projects.

Statistic 97

Robotics R&D personnel: 25,000 researchers.

1/97

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South Korea doesn't just lead the world in robot density; its entire robotics industry, projected to be a 6.2 trillion KRW powerhouse by 2025, is undergoing explosive growth across sectors from collaborative arms surging 45% to humanoids and medical robots advancing at breakneck speed.

Key Takeaways

South Korea's industrial robot market size reached approximately 1.2 trillion KRW in 2022, marking a 15% year-on-year growth driven by automotive and electronics sectors.
The service robot market in South Korea is projected to grow at a CAGR of 22.5% from 2023 to 2030, reaching 5.8 trillion KRW by 2030.
In 2023, South Korea's total robotics industry revenue hit 4.5 trillion KRW, with industrial robots accounting for 65% of the total.
South Korea produced 45,000 industrial robots in 2023.
Robot exports from South Korea reached 2.8 billion USD in 2023, up 18% YoY.
In 2022, South Korea exported 32,000 industrial robot units worldwide.
South Korea has 450 robotics companies as of 2023.
Employment in robotics industry: 45,000 workers in 2023.
Hyundai Robotics employs 2,500 staff and leads in industrial robots.
R&D spending by robotics firms: 1.2 trillion KRW in 2023.
Patents filed in robotics by South Koreans: 4,500 in 2023.
Government R&D grants for robotics: 800 billion KRW in 2023.
Government robotics budget: 1.5 trillion KRW for 2023-2027.
"Robot Industry Promotion Act" revised in 2023 to boost SMEs.
Tax incentives for robotics firms: 30% R&D credit.

South Korea is a top global robotics leader with strong market growth.

Companies and Employment

South Korea has 450 robotics companies as of 2023.
Employment in robotics industry: 45,000 workers in 2023.
Hyundai Robotics employs 2,500 staff and leads in industrial robots.
Samsung Electronics' robotics division has 1,200 engineers.
Doosan Robotics, a key cobot maker, has 800 employees in 2023.
Hanwha Robotics employs 650 people focusing on collaborative robots.
Robotics startups in South Korea numbered 120 in 2023.
Average salary in robotics sector: 65 million KRW annually in 2023.
LG Electronics robotics team size: 900 employees.
KAIST Robotics Lab employs 200 researchers.
Robotics industry job growth: 12% YoY in 2023.
Top 10 robotics firms account for 70% of employment.
Women in robotics workforce: 25% in 2023.
Robotics engineers shortage: 10,000 positions unfilled in 2023.
Pohang University of Science and Technology robotics center: 150 staff.
Robotis, humanoid robot maker, employs 400.
SMEs in robotics: 350 firms, employing 15,000.
Training programs graduated 5,000 robotics technicians in 2023.
Foreign workers in robotics: 8% of total employment.

Companies and Employment Interpretation

For a country with only 450 robotics firms, South Korea's intense concentration of talent—where a mere ten companies hoard 70% of the workforce yet still face a crippling shortage of 10,000 engineers—reveals an industry sprinting so fast it’s tripping over its own explosive growth.

Government Policies and Investments

Government robotics budget: 1.5 trillion KRW for 2023-2027.
"Robot Industry Promotion Act" revised in 2023 to boost SMEs.
Tax incentives for robotics firms: 30% R&D credit.
National Robot Testbed Center established with 200 billion KRW.
"Manufacturing Innovation 3.0" includes 500 billion KRW for robots.
Robot voucher program: 100 billion KRW distributed to 1,000 SMEs.
Defense robot procurement policy: 20% annual increase.
Education ministry's robot curriculum in 80% of schools.
Import tariff reduction on robot parts to 0% for locals.
"Robot Powerhouse" vision targets top 3 global by 2030.
Regional robot clusters funded with 300 billion KRW.
Public robot leasing program for hospitals: 50 billion KRW.
Standards development: 150 new robot safety standards in 2023.
Export promotion fund for robotics: 150 billion KRW.
Workforce training subsidy: 200 billion KRW for 20,000 trainees.
Green robotics initiative: 100 billion KRW for eco-friendly tech.
International robot fair subsidized with 50 billion KRW annually.
Cybersecurity policy for robots: Mandatory certification.
5G robot infrastructure investment: 400 billion KRW.
SME robotics adoption target: 50% by 2027 with subsidies.

Government Policies and Investments Interpretation

South Korea is meticulously constructing a robot utopia not by merely writing checks, but by surgically deploying a full-spectrum arsenal of cash, carrots, and curriculum to engineer its way into your factory, hospital, and future.

Market Size and Growth

South Korea's industrial robot market size reached approximately 1.2 trillion KRW in 2022, marking a 15% year-on-year growth driven by automotive and electronics sectors.
The service robot market in South Korea is projected to grow at a CAGR of 22.5% from 2023 to 2030, reaching 5.8 trillion KRW by 2030.
In 2023, South Korea's total robotics industry revenue hit 4.5 trillion KRW, with industrial robots accounting for 65% of the total.
Robot density in South Korea's manufacturing sector stood at 1,012 units per 10,000 employees in 2022, the highest globally.
The collaborative robot (cobot) segment in South Korea grew by 45% in 2023, valued at 150 billion KRW.
South Korea's robotics market share in Asia-Pacific was 18% in 2022, second only to China.
Domestic demand for industrial robots in South Korea increased to 28,000 units in 2023 from 24,500 in 2022.
The medical robotics market in South Korea was valued at 300 billion KRW in 2023, with a 28% growth rate.
Logistics robot installations in South Korea rose 35% YoY to 5,200 units in 2023.
South Korea's humanoid robot market is expected to reach 1 trillion KRW by 2028.
Overall robotics industry CAGR in South Korea from 2018-2023 was 12.8%.
In 2022, the electronics sector accounted for 42% of South Korea's robot market.
Agricultural robotics market in South Korea valued at 50 billion KRW in 2023, growing 20%.
South Korea's robot market penetration in SMEs reached 15% in 2023.
Projected robotics market size for 2025 in South Korea: 6.2 trillion KRW.
Cleaning robot sales in South Korea hit 1.2 million units in 2023.
Defense robotics expenditure grew to 400 billion KRW in 2023.
South Korea's share of global robot market was 10.2% in 2022.
Educational robot market valued at 200 billion KRW in 2023.
Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model adoption led to 25% market growth in 2023.

Market Size and Growth Interpretation

South Korea's industrial robots are working overtime to build the cars and gadgets we love, while its service bots are on an even faster track to infiltrate our hospitals, warehouses, and homes, proving the nation's ambition isn't just to have more robots than people, but to have a robot for absolutely everything.

Production and Exports

South Korea produced 45,000 industrial robots in 2023.
Robot exports from South Korea reached 2.8 billion USD in 2023, up 18% YoY.
In 2022, South Korea exported 32,000 industrial robot units worldwide.
Automotive robot production capacity in South Korea is 15,000 units annually.
Service robot production surged to 12,000 units in 2023.
South Korea's robot component manufacturing output was 1.5 trillion KRW in 2023.
Exports to China accounted for 40% of South Korea's robot exports in 2023.
Domestic robot production localization rate reached 85% in 2023.
Mobile robot production hit 8,500 units in 2023.
South Korea's robot export value to the US was 800 million USD in 2023.
Annual production of collaborative robots reached 4,200 units in 2023.
Robot arm manufacturing output: 25,000 units in 2023.
Exports of welding robots: 6,000 units in 2023 to automotive firms.
South Korea produced 3,000 medical robots in 2023.
Logistics robot exports grew 30% to 1,200 units in 2023.
Humanoid robot prototypes produced: 150 units in 2023.
Sensor production for robots: 500,000 units annually.
Total robot production value: 3.2 trillion KRW in 2023.
Export growth rate for service robots: 25% in 2023.

Production and Exports Interpretation

With over 85% of its parts homemade and a voracious 40% appetite from China, South Korea's robotics industry isn't just assembling bots; it's methodically building an automated future, one welding arm, surgical assistant, and surprisingly nimble logistics bot at a time.

R&D and Innovation

R&D spending by robotics firms: 1.2 trillion KRW in 2023.
Patents filed in robotics by South Koreans: 4,500 in 2023.
Government R&D grants for robotics: 800 billion KRW in 2023.
AI-integrated robots R&D investment: 300 billion KRW.
Number of robotics research papers from South Korea: 2,800 in 2023.
KAIST developed 50 new robot prototypes in 2023.
Robotics R&D centers: 120 nationwide in 2023.
Venture capital in robotics startups: 500 billion KRW in 2023.
5G-enabled robot R&D projects: 45 funded in 2023.
Exoskeleton robot innovations: 200 patents filed.
University robotics funding: 250 billion KRW annually.
Swarm robotics research grants: 100 billion KRW.
Robot vision tech advancements: 1,500 citations in 2023.
National Robotics R&D roadmap updated with 10 new tech areas.
Private sector R&D: 70% of total robotics R&D spend.
Haptics technology patents: 800 from Korean firms.
Quantum sensor for robots developed by 3 labs.
International collaborations: 60 robotics R&D projects.
Robotics R&D personnel: 25,000 researchers.

R&D and Innovation Interpretation

South Korea is wiring a staggering amount of money and intellectual energy into its robots, betting that the future will not just be automated, but will be built, serviced, and perhaps even entertained by a fleet of remarkably advanced and well-funded mechanical compatriots.