In the face of the population aging phenomenon and the shrinking workforce, the government of the South Korean capital, Seoul, is turning to robots to bridge the supply and demand gap in the local economy. They have started employing robots to provide services, support local developers' projects, and established a specialized research center. In doing so, they aim to harness technology to overcome serious challenges in their human capital.
Often, the best innovations are born out of urgent necessity rather than luxury. Therefore, countries facing the greatest challenges are likely to come up with the smartest solutions when a supportive environment for innovation is present.
South Korea is one of the most prominent examples of this. It has unique societal needs, the most prominent of which is an aging population, a declining fertility rate to the lowest in the world, along with a decreasing percentage of the population capable of working or willing to do so. As a result, an increasing number of Koreans are refraining from engaging in many professions they consider difficult, dangerous, or socially undesirable. This has led the manufacturing sector to rely increasingly on foreign labor.
The Economic Policy Division under the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Economic Policy Office believes that the city will enter the "ultra-aging society" phase starting from 2025. An aging population is a social and economic phenomenon characterized by an increase in the percentage of elderly people in society compared to other age groups.
This exceptional reality has compelled the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) to seek innovative solutions, especially in light of the new situation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since 2008, the South Korean government has been studying the role of robotics technology in providing innovative solutions. They adopted proactive policies, established legal foundations, set up advanced research centers, and supported the private sector to boost robotics manufacturing.
As part of this journey, the government has developed several plans to promote the use of robots, the latest of which extended between 2019 and 2023, allocating more than 100 million U.S. dollars to produce 1500 robots for various industries.
Since Seoul's revenue represents 18% of South Korea's total robot industry revenue, it aims to become the largest market for service robots in the country. To achieve this, a comprehensive plan has been formulated that will continue until 2026, with a budget of approximately 153 million dollars. This plan is divided into three main areas, with the first one focusing on investments and aiming to provide financial support for the development, testing, production, and marketing of innovations to companies operating in this field, especially startups.
As for the second area, it is aimed at introducing robot services in healthcare facilities, social care, and child daycare centers, along with the establishment of specialized institutions to educate the public about these innovations, such as the Museum of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
Finally, the goal of the third area is to create Suseo Robotics Cluster, a startup and business venture hub supporting large-scale production of prototypes, safety designs, and product certification. The plan includes the construction of the Seoul Robot Tech Center in 2026, with the project expected to qualify 700 experts in this field by that time.
Examples of robot integration into daily life and service sectors are numerous. This includes their use in preschools to teach children basic skills, read books to them, and enhance their creativity.
This does not mean neglecting the older generations; on the contrary, there are robots designed to work with the elderly and assist them in using smartphones. These robots can help the elderly learn how to use various applications, and their numbers are set to increase from 240 to 500 by 2026. Currently, there are tests being conducted on using robots for delivery services, with the aim of legalizing this work later this year if the experiment is successful. South Korea sees this as a preparation for the future era where robots will handle these operations entirely.
In fact, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy plans to launch special robots to assist night police patrols in 2024, deploying them in public places such as libraries, museums, and parks to welcome people and provide them with information about the area.
As promising as it may seem, this transformation comes with significant economic challenges that should not be underestimated. One of these challenges is the threat of robots replacing many professions and widening the economic gap among people. However, Seoul authorities are working to bridge this gap by preparing the workforce for the jobs of the future, making it a wide and attractive market for job seekers and experts. This means addressing the issue of unemployment on one hand and ensuring the attraction of expertise to remain at the forefront of the robotics technology race on the other.
On the legal side, there are many challenges, especially regarding accountability, privacy violations, and safety standards. Therefore, the authorities in the capital plan to open a specialized research and testing center to develop unified practice procedures based on regulatory frameworks. This will balance innovation and the protection of citizens' rights.
At that point, the South Korean government will face another, perhaps the most important, challenge: how people perceive and accept these robots. They are addressing this through awareness initiatives and giving people opportunities for interactive experiences to build trust with robots. For example, using robots in daycare centers means preparing the future generation to interact with technology as an essential part of life. Integrating robots in elderly care ensures that the older generation does not fall behind.
Today, South Korea ranks first in the world in terms of robot density according to the International Federation of Robotics report for 2021, with a ratio of 10% compared to employees in the manufacturing sector, which is 7 times higher than the world average.
Robot technology promises multiple benefits, from filling the labor gap to enhancing productivity and ensuring accuracy in sectors like manufacturing and healthcare. The Korean authorities see it as a driver for the growth of future industries and a solution to current social challenges. All of this means contributing to a safer and more prosperous lifestyle for citizens. However, challenges associated with such transformation should be addressed carefully to avoid deepening social and economic gaps.
References:
- https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/South-Korea-to-allow-delivery-robots-on-public-roads-in-2023#:~:text=SEOUL%20%2D%2D%20Robots%20are%20being,chain%20started%20in%20November%202021.
- https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2023/08/129_355698.html
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/25/south-korea-trials-robots-in-preschools-to-prepare-children-for-high-tech-future
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/25/south-korea-trials-robots-in-preschools-to-prepare-children-for-high-tech-future
- https://www.asiapacific.ca/publication/robots-bring-profit-and-unease-south-koreas-shaky-labour
- https://www.koreatechtoday.com/robots-to-help-police-patrol-in-south-korea/
- https://www.clearstate.com/korea-surgical-market-robotic/
- https://english.seoul.go.kr/development-and-utilization-of-robotic-services-to-assist-care-facilities/
- https://english.seoul.go.kr/robotanic-smart-robot-service-at-seoul-botanic-park/
