China increases presence in Korea's advanced robot market

Hypershell's exoskeleton devices are displayed at its launching event in Seoul, Feb. 24. Courtesy of VD Robotics

Chinese robot firms are stepping up their push into the Korean market, evolving from task-oriented service robots such as robot vacuum cleaners and serving robots to advanced robotics including exoskeletons and humanoids.

Hypershell, a Chinese robotics firm specializing in leisure-focused exoskeletons, launched its Hypershell X series in Korea last week, highlighting the country’s preference for premium fitness gear.

The Hypershell X series is a wearable exoskeleton device that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to augment and regulate power in real time, adapting to terrain and the user’s movements. More than 30,000 units have been sold globally, and the company’s Korean retailer, VD Robotics, seeks to sell more than 3,000 units in Korea this year.

Weighing around two kilograms, the device is designed for outdoor activities including running, trekking, hiking and cycling. The price starts at 1.5 million won ($1,023), a level that could appeal to tech enthusiasts willing to invest in advanced gear.

Unlike conventional wearable exoskeletons that have largely catered to medical or specialized industrial uses, Hypershell is targeting general consumers here who are more receptive to premium outdoor equipment. According to VD Robotics, a pre-order campaign on crowdfunding platform Wadiz raised 100 million won as of Feb. 18, reaching 3,721 percent of its initial funding target.

A humanoid robot is displayed at Emart's Yeongdeungpo outlet in Seoul, Feb. 1. Newsis

Unitree, one of China’s leading humanoid and quadruped robot firms, is also improving its presence among Korean consumers, beginning offline sales at a local discount chain store.

Emart opened a robot store on Jan. 30 at its outlet in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, showcasing Unitree’s humanoid robot G1 and the quadruped robot Go2. They are available for sale with the G1 priced at 30 million won and Go2 for 3.99 million won.

Although sales remain limited, with most of the robots seeing single-digit sales and only one Go2 reportedly being sold, the store has drawn a large number of visitors, signaling strong consumer interest that could eventually translate into purchases as consumers begin to perceive robots as products for everyday life.

On March 4, major Chinese robotics companies held the China Humanoid Conference during AW Summit 2026 in Seoul, with industry leaders including Unitree, AgiBot, Fourier, Leju and Huawei presenting their global expansion strategies in general purpose, industrial and medical humanoid robotics.

Korean dealers also set up booths at the exhibition, showcasing humanoid robot applications in areas such as smart factories and automation solutions.

Hyundai Motor's MobED autonomous driving platforms are displayed at AW 2026 at Coex in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of COEX

China’s growing presence

Chinese robotics firms already hold a dominant presence in the Korean market. According to the Korea Association of AI Robot Industry, Chinese firms account for over 70 percent of the domestic service robot market and 54 percent of the domestic robot vacuum cleaner market.

Recent trends suggest that the Chinese push in the Korean market is moving beyond relatively simple task-oriented robots to more comprehensive systems capable of performing complex functions.

Given Korea’s role as a global test bed for advanced technology products, industry observers say the launch of increasingly sophisticated Chinese robots here suggests that these firms are positioning themselves at the forefront of the global robotics market, rather than merely expanding in an overseas market.

Chinese firms are rapidly gaining ground in the global humanoid robot market. According to UBS Global analyst Phyllis Wang, the world’s total humanoid shipments reached about 18,600 units in 2025, with the majority supplied by Chinese manufacturers. The figures include roughly 5,000 units each from Unitree and AgiBot.

The Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement said in a recent report that China’s rise in the advanced robotics industry is not a result of corporate success but rather a state-backed industrial ecosystem called “industrial commons.”

Under this model, manufacturing capacity, supply chains, R&D infrastructure and talent pools are shared across industries, allowing technological gains in one sector to accelerate progress in others.

The robot 'Unitree Robotics Humanoid Robot G1' is displayed at the World AI Cannes Festival 2026, an international exhibition dedicated to artificial intelligence, in Cannes, France, Feb. 12. EPA-Yonhap

As a result, China’s robotics industry has benefited from technological spillovers from electric vehicles (EVs), batteries and other advanced manufacturing areas. Expertise in motors, power systems and precision manufacturing has extended into robotics and intelligent production.

“Chinese EV makers’ push into humanoid robotics is a clear example of the interlocking innovation flywheel now taking shape across China’s advanced industries,” the report said.

Automaker GAC Group has introduced a humanoid robot called GoMate, while Xiaomi unveiled its CyberOne humanoid robot in 2022. Electric vehicle giant BYD is also working on a humanoid robot project known as Yao Shun Yu.

Among Korean firms, Hyundai Motor Group is widely regarded as one of the frontrunners in humanoid robotics with its Atlas robot, developed by its subsidiary Boston Dynamics. However, there are concerns that Chinese companies may already hold a competitive edge at the ecosystem level, particularly in localized component supply chains.

According to a report by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, the localization rate of China’s industrial robot market reached 57.5 percent in 2024, and rates for key components such as reducers, servo systems and controllers have already surpassed 50 percent.

In contrast, the localization rate for robot components and materials in Korea remains at around 40 percent.

“The industrial relations between Korea and China has shifted from a vertical division to a horizontal competition, meaning the strategy of using China primarily as a manufacturing base or supply source is no longer effective,” the report said.

“From a long-term perspective, Korea needs a strategy on how to respond to and leverage China-led global supply chains to maximize national economic interests.”