Chinese Humanoid Robot Makers Expand into South Korea Amid Physical AI
Investment Push
Chinese firms test humanoid robots in
South Korean factories and cafes as the country races to build a physical AI
ecosystem
1.
Chinese Robotics Companies Expand South Korean Presence
·
Chinese humanoid robot makers are moving beyond
demonstrations and showroom displays to factory trials and commercial
deployments in South Korea.
·
Key companies expanding their presence include:
o
UBTech Robotics —
Shenzhen-based robotics company.
o
Anyverse Dynamics —
Beijing-based start-up.
o
AgiBot —
Shanghai-based robotics company.
o
Unitree Robotics — leading Chinese robot
manufacturer.
·
South Korea's limited domestic supply of humanoid
robots at scale is creating opportunities for Chinese suppliers.
2. UBTech Secures Commercial Orders and Factory Trials
·
UBTech supplied
its U1 humanoid robot to Galaxy Robot Park, a robot-themed entertainment venue
in Seoul.
·
The 1.68-metre-tall, female-appearing robot cost
approximately 170,000 yuan (US$25,000) and was delivered in September
2026.
·
UBTech entered
the South Korean market in 2019 and claims to have sold more than 10,000
robots to dozens of corporate and government customers.
·
In July 2026, UBTech
announced plans to trial humanoid robots on an automotive parts production line
with South Korean partners Duksan JM
Robotics and Ajin Industrial.
·
Several UBTech models are
undergoing operational tests in South Korea.
3. Anyverse Dynamics Targets Cafes and Manufacturing
·
Anyverse Dynamics
has partnered with South Korean coffee chain Hollys to test robots
capable of:
o
Serving drinks.
o
Clearing tables.
o
Resetting seats.
·
The robots are currently undergoing trial
operations at a cafe in Beijing.
·
The company plans to begin trials in South Korean
cafes and other commercial service settings in Q4 2026, before expanding
into manufacturing.
·
Product certification for the South Korean market
is underway.
4. South
Korea Emerges as a Major Export Market for Chinese Robots
·
South Korea was China's third-largest export
market for intelligent bionic robots during January–September 2026, after
the United States and Japan.
·
Chinese exports to South Korea amounted to US$19.99
million, representing 9.7% of China's global exports of US$206.95 million
in this category.
·
China exported 16,559 robots to 108 countries
and regions under a customs category introduced in 2026 covering humanoid
robots and robot dogs.
·
According to an industry report cited by Electronic
Times, eight of China's ten top-selling humanoid robot makers were exploring
the South Korean market through certification, trademark registration and sales
channels.
5. South
Korea Plans Major Investment in Physical AI
·
South Korea is promoting physical AI to strengthen
manufacturing productivity amid a shrinking working-age population and slowing
potential economic growth.
·
The government has proposed 3.1 trillion won
(US$2.3 billion) in physical AI funding for 2027, more than three times the
2026 level.
·
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources' Manufacturing
AI Transformation (M.AX) programme supports AI adoption and factory trials,
including humanoid robots.
·
The programme targets 500 AI factories by 2030.
·
The ministry has budgeted 1.1 trillion won for AI
transformation in 2026.
6. South
Korean Industrial Giants Accelerate Robotics Development
·
LG Electronics: Building a Data Factory in Seoul
to train robots for industrial and household applications, while testing robots
on its production lines.
·
Samsung Electronics:
Established its Robotics eXperience division in July
2026, initially targeting manufacturing before expanding into homes and retail.
·
Hyundai Motor Group: Training
Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robots at its US factory campus in Georgia,
ahead of planned manufacturing deployment in 2028.
·
Doosan Robotics: Developing AI-powered sanding
and palletising systems and robot-control software with support from Nvidia.
·
Samsung may unveil a bipedal robot designed for
round-the-clock manufacturing and logistics operations at CES in Las Vegas in
January 2027, according to a report by JoongAng Ilbo.
7.
Investment in South Korean AI and Robotics Start-ups Rises
·
AI and robotics accounted for 45% of
third-quarter investments tracked by South Korean start-up and venture
capital database The VC.
·
Investment is flowing into:
o
Robot manufacturers.
o
Developers of foundational AI models for robots.
o
Companies supplying training data for physical AI.
·
South Korea offers potential deployment
opportunities in automotive manufacturing, shipbuilding and semiconductor
production.
8.
Certification and Market Entry Challenges
·
Chinese robotics companies must secure local
customers willing to participate in proof-of-concept trials.
·
South Korea's stringent Korea Certification (KC)
requirements can require technical adaptations.
·
UBTech modified
its communications modules and radio-frequency settings to comply with local
requirements.
·
Product certification and access to industrial
customers remain important hurdles for Chinese suppliers.
9.
Political and Security Concerns Over Chinese Robotics
·
Chinese robots from Unitree and AgiBot
were demonstrated during a South Korean parliamentary audit on 6 October
2026, prompting debate about the country's competitiveness in physical AI.
·
Opposition lawmakers questioned whether the robots
had undergone adequate security checks.
·
Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister
Bae Kyung-hoon called for greater investment in
physical AI, warning that South Korea risked falling behind China in real-world
robot deployment and data collection.
·
He urged companies to take greater responsibility
for development rather than relying entirely on government support.
10.
Cooperation and Competition with China
·
South Korea's trade promotion agency sees
opportunities to exploit Shenzhen's supply chains and innovation ecosystem
while competing with Chinese technology firms.
·
Chinese companies view the two countries'
industrial strengths as complementary:
o
South Korea: Advanced manufacturing
capabilities and AI innovation.
o
China: Extensive supply chains,
engineering and AI talent, and rapid product development.
·
Despite domestic industrial policies and political
concerns, Chinese manufacturers report that South Korean customers remain open
to purchasing their robots.
Key
Takeaway
Chinese humanoid robot makers are
using South Korea as a strategic market for commercial expansion and industrial
testing. Their cost competitiveness, established supply
chains and ability to deliver products at scale coincide with Seoul's ambitious
physical AI investment programme. However, certification requirements, security
concerns and competition from South Korean technology companies will shape the
pace of adoption.
Chinese
humanoid robot makers are accelerating efforts to gain a foothold in South Korea,
moving beyond dance performances and showroom displays to factory trials and commercial
deployments, as Seoul ramps up investment in physical artificial intelligence.
A
growing number of Chinese robotics companies – including Hong Kong-listed UBTech Robotics, start-up Anyverse
Dynamics, Shanghai-based AgiBot and leading robot maker
Unitree Robotics – have flexed their muscles or announced projects in South Korea
this year.
“China’s
new generation of robot companies has global DNA and naturally looks overseas, and
South Korea is one of the most important markets in the Asia-Pacific region,” said
Ethan Qi, an associate director covering robotics at Counterpoint Research. The
lack of locally built humanoid robots available at scale had created an opening
for Chinese suppliers, he added.
Commercial
foothold
Representatives
of Galaxy Robot Park, a robot-themed entertainment venue in Seoul, agreed to buy
UBTech’s lifelike U1 model after seeing its debut in Shenzhen
in June, according to Sean Qin, overseas head of the company’s commercial robots division.
The
robot, designed with a female appearance and standing 1.68 metres tall, cost around
170,000 yuan (US$25,000) and was delivered to the park last month, Qin said. UBTech entered the South Korean market as early as 2019 and
had since sold more than 10,000 robots to dozens of corporate and government customers,
he added.
In
July, UBTech, headquartered in China’s southern tech hub
of Shenzhen, also announced plans to trial humanoid robots on a South Korean automotive
parts production line with local partner Duksan JM Robotics
and parts maker Ajin Industrial. Several UBTech models
were undergoing on-site operational tests in the country, Qin said, without providing
details.
“As
a manufacturing powerhouse, South Korea already makes extensive use of robotic arms,
autonomous mobile robots and other conventional systems,” he said. “The next step
is to help workers become more productive in tasks that demand greater flexibility.
That makes Korea a key market for UBTech and for humanoids
more broadly.”
Zhang
Yufeng, founder and CEO of Anyverse Dynamics, who previously
worked with SK Telecom and Hyundai Motor, said South Korea was “one of our most
important overseas markets”.
The
Beijing-based start-up teamed up with South Korean coffee chain Hollys at the World
Robot Conference in Beijing in August to test robots that serve drinks, clear tables
and reset seats. The robots were currently undergoing trial operations at a cafe
in Beijing, Zhang said.
South
Korea ranked as China’s third-largest export market by value for “intelligent bionic
robots” in the first nine months of 2026, behind the United States and Japan, according
to Chinese customs data. Exports to South Korea totalled US$19.99 million, or 9.7
per cent of the US$206.95 million China shipped globally. China exported 16,559
robots to 108 countries and regions under the customs category, introduced this
year, which covers humanoids and robot dogs.
Eight
of China’s 10 top-selling humanoid robot makers had been testing the waters in South
Korea through product certification, trademark filings and sales channels, according
to a report by industry research platform Labsdeep that
was cited by Electronic Times this month.
“We
plan to begin trials in Korean cafes and other commercial service settings in the
fourth quarter, before expanding into manufacturing,” Zhang said, noting that the
company had been working on product certification for the market.
Seoul’s
stringent Korea Certification requirements prompted UBTech
to adapt its communications modules and radio frequency settings for local use,
Qin said.
Factories as main testing
ground
China’s
robotics boom has spawned a wave of unicorn firms over the past two years, some
of which have already begun shipping products at scale, backed by an extensive
supply chain at home. Their push to find commercial applications to justify the
investment and hype surrounding humanoid robots coincides with South Korea’s drive
to deploy physical AI across its industrial base.
Seoul
is prioritising the technology to strengthen manufacturing as its working-age population
shrinks and potential economic growth slows. The government has proposed 3.1 trillion
won (US$2.3 billion) in physical AI funding for 2027, more than triple this year’s
level.
The
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources’ Manufacturing AI Transformation programme,
dubbed M.AX, supports AI adoption and factory trials involving robots, including
humanoids, with a target of 500 AI factories by 2030. The ministry has budgeted
1.1 trillion won for AI transformation this year.
Industry
Minister Kim Jung-kwan said in August that the government
would support factories operated by AI and robots, helping South Korea become “a
global leader in manufacturing AI transformation by 2030”.
South
Korea’s industrial heavyweights are also moving quickly.
LG
Electronics is building its Data Factory in Seoul to train robots for industrial
and household applications, while testing robots on its own production lines. Samsung
Electronics established its Robotics eXperience division
in July, targeting manufacturing before expanding into homes and retail. A bipedal
robot designed to operate round the clock in manufacturing and logistics could debut
at the CES annual consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas in January 2027,
JoongAng Ilbo reported on Tuesday.
Hyundai
Motor Group has begun training Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoids at its factory campus
in the US state of Georgia, ahead of a planned 2028 deployment in manufacturing.
Doosan Robotics has unveiled AI-powered sanding and palletising systems and is developing
robot-control software, with support from Nvidia.
South
Korea’s start-up ecosystem is also drawing fresh capital. AI and robotics accounted
for 45 per cent of third-quarter investments tracked by The
VC, a local start-up and venture capital investment database platform. Within physical
AI, funding is flowing to robot makers as well as start-ups developing foundational
models for robots and supplying training data.
The
country offered a broad range of potential deployment sites in carmaking, shipbuilding and semiconductor manufacturing, Counterpoint’s
Qi said. But gaining access was difficult for Chinese suppliers because they needed
local customers willing to participate in proof-of-concept trials.
Partners and rivals
The
growing presence of Chinese firms has stirred political debate. At a parliamentary
audit on October 6, lawmaker Lee Jeong-heon of the ruling
Democratic Party of Korea brought robots from China’s Unitree and AgiBot to challenge the government over South Korea’s competitiveness
in physical AI.
Lawmaker
Ahn Cheol-soo of the main opposition People Power Party
questioned whether the robots had undergone security checks and accused the National
Assembly of providing a stage for Chinese technology.
Deputy
Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon, who is also the Science
and Information and Communications Technology minister, urged South Korea to ramp
up physical AI investment and development, pointing to China’s growing deployment
of humanoids.
“China
is also deploying more humanoid robots in the field and collecting data,” he said
during a Physical AI Tech Week round table in Seoul on October 13, according to
news outlet MoneyToday.
Bae
questioned whether Korea’s plans were bold enough and called for higher targets
to avoid regretting insufficient investment in the future. Companies also needed
to shoulder greater responsibility because the government could not support every
initiative, he said.
Park
Young-hoon, head of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion
Agency’s Shenzhen office, said he also saw room for cooperation.
“Companies
need to explore new business opportunities using Shenzhen’s local supply chains
and innovation capabilities while competing with Chinese technology companies,”
he told local media outlet Newspim in October.
Anyverse Dynamics’ Zhang said he saw the two countries’
industrial strengths as “highly complementary”. South Korea combined global leadership
in advanced manufacturing with a capacity for AI innovation, while China offered
a comprehensive supply chain, a deep pool of engineering and AI talent, and rapid
product iteration, he said.
For
UBTech’s Qin, policies favouring domestic companies have
not deterred Korean customers from considering Chinese suppliers. “The Korean customers
we have dealt with are open to working with Chinese robot makers,” he said.