By Kim Tae-gyu
The Korean government aims to nurture the service robot industry as one of the country’s next-generation growth engines to succeed in the currently flourishing semiconductor and automobile businesses.
The Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) said Thursday that it will channel a total of 30 billion won ($26.3 million) next year alone to become one of the three powers in the robot industry by 2018.
“The robotics market will shift its focus from today’s mass-production models to service models down the road. We must strive to preempt the trend through brisk efforts,” an MKE official said.
“Presently, our market share in the global scene is around 10 percent. We are looking to double the figure by 2018 to join the ranks of the world’s top three by then.”
That means that Asia’s fourth-largest economy is looking to earn as much as $20 billion a year in 2018 as the world market is expected to grow to $100 billion by then from today’s $10 billion.
The market has swelled rapidly from a mere $4.5 billion in 2003 to $7.5 billion in 2005, $8.1 billion in 2007 and $9.4 billion in 2008, according to the latest data available from the International Federation of Robotics.
The robotics business is also projected to positively affect related businesses such as motors, sensors, actuators, displays and chips.
“We will come up with tailor-made strategies in tapping into the international market. For instance, we will attempt to export robots caring for senior citizens and helping with surgery to advanced markets such as the EU and the United States,” he said.
“Surveillance robots would be attractive to the African buyers and those helping with household chores and education would target the Southeastern Asian and Chinese markets.”
Korea Inc. has been propping up such breadwinners as semiconductors, shipbuilding, automobiles, flat-panel displays, home appliances, chemical products and steel but the nation has lacked definitive candidates for future cash cows.
The country regards robots as the very candidate to underpin Korea in the future.
At present, Korea lags behind the countries with the best robotics technology by a couple of years. However, it hopes to catch up by 2018 based on its proactive investment.
The upside potential of the country’s robotic industry has been confirmed of late as the state-backed Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) developed robots programmed to teach English in classrooms.
They gained great media attention both at home and abroad with Time calling them one of the “50 Best Inventions of 2010.”
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