Pilot Project to Be Conducted at Three Local Schools
District Mayor: "We Aim to Build a Model for Expansion and Application Across Seoul"
Gangnam-gu in Seoul will be the first local government in the country to launch a pilot project using cooking robots for school meals. Gangnam-gu was selected as the final recipient of the '2025 Service Robot Demonstration Project' organized by the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement, and will begin piloting group meal cooking robots at three schools in the district starting in the second half of this year.
For this demonstration project, Gangnam-gu will serve as the lead agency, overseeing the planning and performance management of the pilot, while the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will be responsible for managing participating schools and providing administrative support. Korea Robotics Co., Ltd., a private sector partner, will implement a system that enhances practicality and convenience by incorporating feedback from school cooking sites. The total project budget is 750 million won, including 250 million won in national funding and 500 million won from the district.
The main focus of the demonstration includes a 3-in-1 multifunctional cooking robot system capable of frying, stir-frying, and preparing soups and stews using existing gas infrastructure, as well as the development of a multi-control cooking robot that can simultaneously control gas and steam. The system is highly practical, as it can be used in the current cooking environment without the need for additional electrical installations.
The purpose of this demonstration goes beyond simply introducing automation technology; it aims to develop a 'Gangnam-style cooking robot model' that can adapt to various school cafeteria environments and to verify its scalability through the pilot. Among Seoul's districts, Gangnam-gu has the highest vacancy rate for cooking staff, facing a manpower shortage more than three times the city average.
The introduction of cooking robots is expected to play a significant role in protecting workers from harsh working conditions such as high temperatures, heavy lifting, and repetitive motions, as well as reducing their workload and helping to safeguard their health.
Cho Sungmyung, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, stated, "Through this demonstration project, we will lay the foundation for both efficient meal provision and improved working conditions for cooking staff by applying robot technology that can provide real help in the educational field," adding, "Based on the results of this pilot, we will successfully establish a model that can be expanded and applied throughout Seoul in the future."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
