To Hyundai Motor Union Opposing Robots, Lee Says "The Massive Wheel Cannot Be Avoided"

Lee Presides Over Senior Secretary Meeting
"A World Where Robots Work Is Unavoidable"
Proposes Discussion of "Basic Society" as a Countermeasure

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Senior Secretary Meeting held at the Blue House on the 29th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

President Lee Jae-myung, referring to labor unions opposing the deployment of production robots on-site, remarked, "You cannot avoid the passage of a massive cart." However, he also suggested that countermeasures such as a "basic society" should be discussed, given concerns about side effects like polarization.

On the afternoon of January 29, President Lee presided over a Senior Secretary Meeting at the Blue House and stated, "It seems that the labor union has declared that production robots should not be allowed into the workplace."

Previously, after Hyundai Motor unveiled the mass-production humanoid robot "Atlas" at CES 2026, the Hyundai Motor labor union expressed its opposition in a newsletter on January 22, stating, "Not a single robot can enter the production site without a labor-management agreement."

President Lee commented, "I don't think the union's opposition is genuine, but rather part of their bargaining strategy." He added, "When the steam engine was introduced in the past, people called for destroying machines, claiming they would take away jobs." He pointed out that, just as opposition to steam engines could not prevent their widespread adoption across industry, the introduction of robots is also inevitable.

"A World Where Robots Work Is Coming... We Should Discuss a Basic Society"

President Lee emphasized, "We need to adapt quickly to the introduction of robots. A world is coming where artificial intelligence (AI) robots will make their own decisions, analyze data, work 24 hours without eating, and operate tirelessly in dark factories. This is unavoidable."

He also cautioned against side effects such as polarization resulting from the adoption of AI and robots. He said, "Those who own the means of production will accumulate enormous wealth, while the majority will find it difficult to secure jobs. If this world is coming anyway, we need to start preparing, even if only gradually."

As a countermeasure, he suggested, "I hope we can have a serious discussion about a basic society." President Lee explained, "When I was mayor of Seongnam, I said that, in the future, the ownership or capability of production means would become polarized, causing serious social problems, and that we should prepare for what is called a basic society. At the time, I was harshly criticized as a socialist or a communist, but now it seems more people agree."

President Lee continued, "We must recognize this reality as quickly as possible, learn, and create opportunities for as many people as possible to participate in production. We need to prepare to change our way of thinking. If we insist that this is impossible or label it as communism, we will fail to adapt."