Chinese humanoid robots are accelerating their entry into the into the South Korean market, as Seoul heavily bets on physical AI.

Chinese humanoid robot manufacturers are accelerating their expansion into the South Korean market, shifting from dance performances and showroom displays to factory trials and commercial deployments. Hong Kong-listed UBTech Robotics has delivered its U1 robot, priced at approximately $25,000, to Seoul's Galaxy Robot Park and plans to trial humanoid robots with local partners on automotive parts production lines. Startup Anyverse Dynamics also plans to conduct robot trials in South Korean cafes and commercial service venues in the fourth quarter.

In the first nine months of 2026, South Korea was China's third-largest export market for "intelligent bionic robots," with export value reaching $19.99 million. Meanwhile, the South Korean government has proposed allocating 3.1 trillion Korean won (approximately $2.3 billion) to physical AI by 2027, more than triple this year's allocation, and plans to establish 500 AI factories by 2030. South Korean industrial giants such as LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, and Hyundai Motor Group are also actively deploying robotics and AI technologies.