The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy released its “2016 Research on the Actual Conditions of the Robot Industry.” The Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (sponsoring agency) and the Korea Association of Robot Industry (supervising agency) has been conducting surveys related to the robot industry – the country’s new growth engine – since 2006 after establishing the government’s statistics, in order to provide continuity to the surveys and to establish a statistics system.

This year’s survey examines the current state of Korea’s robot businesses, production and shipping performance according to each item, the state of manpower (workforce) and the state of research and development performance as of the end of December 2016. This was undertaken to provide basic data on the business strategies of the companies and government policies, with the final objective of giving impetus to the Korean robotics industry. The survey was carried out from June 2 to July 31, 2016 by survey professionals who conducted interviews at the respective companies. The survey categories comprise the type of robot business, number of employees, financial status, production and shipment status, and import status by item. The main contents of the finalized status report will be delivered in three parts.

1. Overview of Korea’s Robot Industry
2. Sales and Production Status
3. Export & Import Status

The robot industry in 2016 saw exports grow to KRW933.6 billion compared to the previous year’s 815.9 billion won, an increase of 14.4%. Within this figure, with an increase of 178.6%, “Robot parts and accessories” saw the largest increase in exports. Exports of “Professional service robots” also saw a large increase in exports, at 129.2%. “Personal service robot” exports increased by 11.4%, and manufacturing robot exports increased by 0.6%. In the robot industry for 2016, “Manufacturing robots” made up the most sales in the robot industry, 680.6 billion won (72.9%), followed by “Other manufacturing robots” (KRW 330.6 billion), “Assembly and Disassembly Robots” (KRW 147.9 billion) and “Transfer Robot” (KRW 124.4 billion).

▲ Export and Import Status

Exports of “Professional service robots” topped KRW73.4 billion; a closer look shows the order in which the growth occurred: “Medical robots” (W25.5bn); “Other professional service robots” (KRW22.1bn), “Military robots” (KRW15.2bn); and “Agriculture, forestry, and fishery robots” (KRW5.8 billion). Exports of “Personal service robots” topped 78.8 billion won. These included, in order, “Household robots” (61.4 billion won), “Education and research robots” (10.8 billion won) and “Healthcare robots” (4.6 billion won).

In addition, exports of “Robot parts and accessories” totaled KRW100.7 billion. Breaking it down, this incudes “Robot driving components and accessories” (KRW 38.2 billion), “Robot sensing components and accessories” (KRW 32.2 billion), “Robot control components and accessories (15 billion won) and “Robot structural parts and accessories” (13.4 billion won).

“China” was the largest export country with 392.5 billion won, followed by “Other” (243.3 billion won), “United States” (162.6 billion won) and “Japan” (74.4 billion won). More “Manufacturing robots” went to “China” (330.8 billion won) than anywhere else.

In 2016, robot industry imports shrank to 621.4 billion won, 2.8% less than the previous year's 639.4 billion won. In comparison with the previous year, imports increased only for “Professional service robot” businesses (223.5%).

▲Export Status of Robot Products by Main Country

Within the industry, companies specializing in “Manufacturing robots” accounted for 64.2% or 399 billion won, and “Robot parts and accessories” accounted for 23.2%, reaching KRW144.2 billion. The amount of imports from Japan was the largest at 345 billion won, followed by “China” (85.4 billion won), “United States” (82.5 billion won) and “Germany” (41.8 billion won). Companies in the business of “Manufacturing Robots” had largest amount of imports from “Japan” (297.8 billion won).