SEOUL: South Korea’s military is exploring a strategic partnership with Hyundai Motor Co. to potentially deploy robotics to the front lines as Seoul accelerates investment in AI-powered, unmanned systems to tackle a deepening troop shortage.
The defence ministry told Bloomberg News it is discussing cooperation with Hyundai as part of efforts to respond to changes in the battlefield environment and develop a "high-tech, science-driven force,” though specific details have yet to be finalised.
The Korea Economic Daily first reported the news, citing unidentified military and industry officials.
The report said that the army is considering machines for noncombat roles, including surveillance, reconnaissance and logistics.
Potential deployments include Boston Dynamics’ four-legged Spot, the four-wheeled MobED mobility droid and wearable platforms like the X-ble Shoulder exoskeleton, the report added.
A spokesperson for Hyundai declined to comment.
The discussions come as a worsening demographic crisis in Asia’s fourth-largest economy threatens to hollow out its standing forces, while North Korea ramps up its nuclear and missile threats.
Seoul is seeking to redefine its future warfare operations by shifting from a manpower-intensive structure to a technology-centric one.
South Korea’s standing forces have shrunk by 20 per cent in the past six years to 450,000 amid a record-low birth rate. The defence ministry projects that figure will drop further to 350,000 by 2040.
For Hyundai, a military contract could mark a significant milestone in its robotics push. A deployment of Spot - which garnered attention for patrolling US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate - to the Korean peninsula’s demilitarised zone would underscore the technology’s versatility beyond commercial and industrial use, according to Samsung Securities Co. analyst Esther Yim.
"Robotics is a field without legacy constraints,” Yim said in a note. "Robots can leverage the electric and electronic technologies established in autonomous vehicles, allowing for very rapid proliferation.” - Bloomberg
