South Korea Lagging Behind in Robot Industry

The Korea Association of Robot Industry and the Industry-Academic Collaboration Foundation of Kwangwoon University announced on March 5 that South Korea’s robot industry is lagging much behind those of Japan, the United States and Germany. Specifically, the three countries’ manufacturing robots recorded a competitiveness score of 116.91, 116.20 and 115.94 each last year with South Korean manufacturing robots’ score set to 100 as a reference point.

A total of 87 robot industry experts participated in the two organizations’ survey, which is divided into five evaluation categories: price; quality; manufacturing; human resources; and technology.

In the personal service robot industry, Japan came in first with a score of 116.93, followed by Germany (113.86) and the United States (112.89). Likewise, Japan ranked first with 116.42 and Germany (113.51) and the United States (112.39) followed it in the field of professional service robots such as medical robots. Japan ranked first, with 120.15, in the field of robot components, too. Germany and the United States posted 118.53 and 116.93 in this field, respectively.

China, in the meantime, surpassed South Korea in three out of the four segments. Specifically, China’s score is 100.79 in manufacturing robot, 103.77 in personal service robot, 101.90 in professional service robot, and 99.10 in robot component.