Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor among firms to discuss mobile robot special bill

South Korea is set to enact a special law supporting the widespread use of mobile robots in daily life and industrial settings. The legislation aims to ease public concerns about mobile robot services by clearly defining operational and safety standards by sector, as well as liability, response procedures and investigation frameworks in the event of accidents.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it will hold a briefing Thursday afternoon at the Pangyo Technovalley Startup Campus on a proposed "Special Act on the Safe Use and Commercialization of Mobile Robots," gathering input from companies and researchers developing and operating mobile robots and related software. A total of 43 companies will attend, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, Naver, SK Telecom and Hyundai E&C.

Mobile robots are a category of intelligent robots that autonomously or remotely navigate indoor and outdoor spaces while performing a range of tasks — including delivery, parking, electric vehicle charging, transport, security and maintenance.

The ministry said that while related technologies are advancing rapidly, commercialization requires not only improvements in technology and performance but also physical spaces and infrastructure capable of accommodating robots in actual operation, and that legislation is essential to achieve this.

It added that the regulatory and institutional framework governing spaces and facilities must be updated to allow mobile robots to operate smoothly in residential and industrial environments, including buildings, apartment complexes, parking lots, outdoor areas and construction sites.

The bill is expected to include provisions to rationalize existing space and facility regulations incompatible with robot use, along with institutional grounds and special exemptions to support robot deployment in buildings, apartment complexes, parking lots, outdoor spaces and construction sites.

The ministry said the legislation would lay the groundwork for mobile robots to be used broadly beyond limited pilot zones, giving momentum to the commercialization and wider rollout of robot industry services.

The bill will also establish sector-specific operational and safety management standards tailored to the characteristics of the spaces and fields where mobile robots are used. The ministry said the standards aim to resolve regulatory uncertainty during the commercialization process and build a robust management system to ensure safe operation.

The bill also seeks to clarify liability for mobile robot accidents, establish accident response procedures and set up an accident investigation system, so the public can use mobile robot services with confidence.

The ministry said it will review industry feedback gathered at the briefing, relay it faithfully during the National Assembly's bill introduction and review process, and work with relevant ministries to strengthen the bill's effectiveness.

The ministry added that it will continuously identify regulatory and institutional uncertainties related to spaces, facilities and infrastructure that companies encounter when deploying mobile robots in the field, and work to develop a rational regulatory framework that safeguards public safety without stifling innovation in the mobile robot industry.

"No matter how advanced mobile robot technology becomes, commercialization will be difficult if robots cannot move freely in real living spaces and provide services," Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yun-deok said. "We are at a point where we need to go beyond developing robots and prepare the institutional groundwork to transform our spaces into ones where robots and people can coexist — and we will push forward swiftly to make this a truly effective special act."