Robot Stocks Surge on Even the Slightest News... Interest Peaks Ahead of CES

Hyeopjin, IEL, and Namuga Stocks Surge on KOSDAQ
New Robot-Related Stocks Emerge Beyond Traditional Robotics Themes

Since the beginning of this year, robot-related stocks have shown a strong upward trend in the domestic stock market. In the KOSDAQ market, companies such as Hyeopjin, IEL, and Namuga have surged sharply in a short period, despite no significant changes in their earnings, as expectations for the benefits of the robot industry have come into the spotlight. "Physical AI" and "robotics" have emerged as key buzzwords dominating the stock market at the start of the year.

According to the financial investment industry on January 6, Hyeopjin has risen by 68.9% so far this year. After closing at 1,005 won at the end of last year, the stock price hit the upper limit for two consecutive trading days at the start of this year.

Hyeopjin, a food processing machinery manufacturer, is pursuing the acquisition of Androbotics. On December 30 of last year, the company raised 15 billion won through a paid-in capital increase. Previously, in November of last year, it secured 12 billion won by issuing convertible bonds. Having prepared the 23 billion won needed to acquire Androbotics, Hyeopjin is transitioning into a robotics specialist. The company plans to combine its expertise in hardware manufacturing with Androbotics' core software capabilities, including artificial intelligence (AI), database (DB), and robot operating system (ROS).

Namuga, which hit the upper price limit the previous day, also saw investor sentiment boosted by robot-related developments. Namuga, a developer of camera modules and 3D depth-sensing modules, has been officially selected as a partner to supply 3D sensing camera modules for robots to an automaker's robot platform.

The product supplied by Namuga is a 3D sensing module using the indirect time-of-flight (iToF) method, serving as the "eyes" of the robot. ToF is a technology that measures distance by calculating the time it takes for light to reflect off an object and return. For Physical AI to understand the world in three dimensions and perform advanced autonomous tasks, precise depth information is essential.

The stock price of IEL also soared by more than 20% after unveiling the mass-production model of its next-generation humanoid robot, IELbot Y1. IELbot Y1 is a humanoid robot with a physique smaller than the average adult male, designed to operate efficiently in the complex environments of industrial sites. Its lightweight structure ensures mobility efficiency and operational safety. The robot's major joints replicate human-like movements. An IEL representative stated, "Through collaboration with global humanoid robot companies, we are rapidly internalizing the technological competitiveness of Korean-style humanoid robots."

Analysts in the securities industry interpreted this as a result of growing interest in robots ahead of the opening of "CES 2026," the world's largest consumer electronics show held in Las Vegas, United States. Yang Seungyun, a researcher at Eugene Investment & Securities, said, "Interest in the robot industry will increase in the investment market before and after CES," adding, "CES, which used to focus on home appliances, has evolved into an exhibition that now highlights robot technology after mobility and AI."

It is expected that not only companies directly participating in CES but also component suppliers and partner companies will attract attention afterward, resulting in a "trickle-down effect."

An official from the financial investment industry stated, "The robot industry is entering a phase of commercialization and value chain expansion," but cautioned, "The volatility of stocks that surged at the beginning of the year could increase." The official added, "It is difficult to predict performance improvements for robot-related companies in the early stages of business," and noted, "If competition intensifies, some may fail to achieve tangible results."