Korea looks to robots for future growth

Korea plans to boost its smart robot technology and production capabilities, creating a 100 trillion won ($96.8 billion) industry by 2020, the government said yesterday. In a national science and technology committee meeting in Seoul, chaired by Minister of Science and Technology Oh Myung, policymakers said smart robots had the potential to become a key growth engine for the country. In order for the industry to meet its full potential, the government and private sector need to work together to build up the technology base and follow through on plans, they said. In a three-stage action plan announced at the gathering, companies will strive to make robots that people will want to buy, followed by machines that are helpful to humans and, finally, robot companions. To support these goals, the government will aid the education and training of 20,000 experts and build a robot industry innovation cluster near Seoul.