Vice Minister Lim Ki-geun Visits AI Humanoid Robotics Company ROBROS

On June 6, Lim Ki-geun, Acting Minister and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, visited ROBROS, a humanoid robotics company located in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, to review the implementation status of key government-supported projects in the artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics sectors. During the visit, he also discussed industry challenges and potential policy improvements with company representatives.

To support the realization of a hyper-innovative economy, the Korean government has been strategically investing in future growth industries, including AI, robotics, and semiconductors. These initiatives have been designated as priority management projects, with a target of executing more than 70% of the annual budget during the first half of the year.

The site visit was organized to assess whether government funding is effectively serving as a catalyst for economic growth as the implementation of the 2026 budget accelerates. Given the significant spillover effects of AI and robotics technologies across industries, the sector was selected as the first area for an on-site review of budget execution under the government’s hyper-innovation economy agenda.

During the visit, officials reviewed the government’s Robot Technology Development and Demonstration Support Program, which received a 2026 budget of KRW 230.3 billion, an increase of KRW 24.3 billion from the previous year. The program focuses on supporting research, development, and real-world deployment of AI-driven robotics technologies, including humanoid robots and AI factories.

As of the end of February, a total of KRW 57.9 billion had been allocated under the program, with implementation progressing smoothly toward the government’s first-half budget execution targets.

ROBROS, the company visited during the inspection, is a promising robotics startup with globally competitive technology capabilities. In 2025, the company won first place in the locomotion category at the IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots.

During the visit, Vice Minister Lim toured ROBROS’ robot development facilities and emphasized the importance of effective budget execution in the field.

“Even if the government allocates and distributes budgets quickly, the economic impact will inevitably be reduced if implementation is delayed or bottlenecks occur at the operational level,” he said.

Vice Minister Lim also noted that “rapid fiscal execution is not simply about increasing spending figures, but about serving as a catalyst for private investment and job creation.” He added, “We will continue to visit sites directly, communicate with stakeholders, identify potential issues in the implementation process, and thoroughly monitor progress.”

He further stated, “Robotics and AI are at the center of global technology competition and represent key growth engines for Korea’s transition toward a hyper-innovative economy. The government will continue to provide active investment and support in these areas.”

The Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to continue conducting regular on-site implementation reviews and intensively manage priority projects during the first half of the year to ensure that rapid fiscal execution translates into tangible outcomes for the country’s innovation-driven economy.