Gumi City Launches Full-Scale AI Care Robot Industry

Responding to Low Birth Rates and Population Aging,
Accelerating Care Robot Pilot Projects
Gumi Emerges as a Hub for the Domestic Robotics Industry
Investing 13.2 Billion KRW to Build Service Robot Manufacturing Infrastructure

Gumi City in North Gyeongsang Province is accelerating the development of the AI-based care robot industry. At the "AI Care Robot Future Industry Development Seminar" held on the 13th at the IT Medical Convergence Technology Center, participants focused on discussing the future direction of the care robot industry and strategies for implementing pilot projects.

A robot has appeared at Gumi City Hall in Gyeongbuk.

The seminar was attended by 19 participants, including officials from North Gyeongsang Province and Gumi City, representatives from the Gumi Electronics and Information Technology Research Institute, care robot companies, and child studies experts.

The attendees discussed topics such as ▲strategies for fostering the care robot industry in North Gyeongsang Province ▲cases of service robot utilization ▲domestic service robot manufacturing technology ▲and industrialization plans for care robots.

As low birth rates and population aging intensify, care robots are emerging as a new alternative for childcare and elderly care. In response, Gumi City plans to actively promote pilot projects by establishing a collaborative network among the public sector, academia, and industry.

Last year, Gumi City announced its "AI+ Advanced Robot Convergence City Vision" and declared its commitment to developing the robotics industry. Currently, Gumi is home to over 180 robot finished product manufacturers and electronic component suppliers, providing optimal conditions for the growth of the robotics industry.

In particular, the Agile Manufacturing Pilot Project for Service Robot Electronic Convergence Components has been underway since 2023 with a total budget of 13.2 billion KRW over five years, enabling the rapid manufacturing and commercialization of care robots.

The proportion of dual-income households in North Gyeongsang Province is 52.6%, higher than the national average of 48.2%. As of the end of 2024, the number of infants and toddlers in Gumi City stands at 17,632, accounting for 4.4% of the total population, which is higher than Seoul's 3.2%. This demonstrates that Gumi provides an optimal environment for care robot pilot projects.

Kim Hoseop, Deputy Mayor of Gumi, stated, "The care robot industry is an opportunity for local robotics companies to expand from industrial robots into the service robot market," adding, "It will also contribute to addressing the low birth rate issue and improving residential conditions."