The South Korean government announced on Thursday its commitment to invest 2.3 trillion won (approximately $1.66 billion) by 2030 to bolster domestic research and development of full-stack humanoid robots. The initiative was unveiled by the Ministry of Economy and Finance ahead of next year's budget announcement, strategically timed as the global AI market pivots toward physical AI and humanoid robotics.

As a starting point, Seoul plans to allocate 600 billion won in next year's budget, aiming to establish a mass-production system for humanoid robots tailored to ten key industries. A central objective of this plan is to elevate the localization rate of core components from the current 45% to 80%, significantly reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.

The government has outlined a phased procurement strategy, starting with 250 domestically produced humanoid robots in 2027 and scaling up to a cumulative total of 1,080 units by 2030. These robots will be distributed to universities and public research institutions to accelerate academic and industrial applications. Expanding beyond humanoid designs, the broader initiative includes non-humanoid robots, such as quadruped models, with a target of acquiring approximately 5,000 units by 2030.

To address domestic technological gaps, the government will prioritize support for three critical components where South Korea currently lacks competitiveness: actuators, robotic arms, and sensors. Additionally, funding will be directed toward the development of high-performance AI chips and batteries specifically designed for humanoid robots.

The Ministry also revealed that South Korea aims to complete its full-stack humanoid robotics technology initiative by 2031, which includes the development of an indigenous robot operating system to ensure technological sovereignty in the sector.