The photo shows Boston Dynamics’ four-legged walking robot “Spot” roaming freely inside the Hyundai Motor Group Pavilion at the Air Dome of Gyeongju Expo Grand Park. (Photo provided by Hyundai Motor and Kia.)
DANGJIN, Oct. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — A new safety initiative by Hyundai Steel Co. has sparked a labor dispute after the company deployed four-legged patrol robots at its Dangjin plant, with the metalworkers’ union accusing the firm of using the technology to monitor workers rather than protect them.
The Korean Metal Workers’ Union, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), held a press conference at the National Assembly on Thursday, condemning the use of the robots—nicknamed “robot dogs”—as a tool for surveillance.
“Industrial safety cannot be guaranteed through unmanned patrols by machines like robot dogs,” the union said. “True safety comes through dialogue and collective bargaining with subcontracted workers who know the sites best.”
Union leaders also claimed Hyundai Steel introduced the robots, which are equipped with cameras, without the consent of on-site workers. “It is unclear whether their purpose is really safety or to monitor employees and shift responsibility for accidents onto them,” they said.
The group demanded the company immediately begin talks with subcontracted workers, citing a July court ruling that deemed Hyundai Steel’s refusal to negotiate with temporary laborers an unfair labor practice.
In response, Hyundai Steel said the robots’ deployment was agreed upon in advance with the union and is part of broader safety measures designed to prevent accidents in blind spots. “This is one of several initiatives to ensure a safer workplace,” a company spokesperson said.
The robots, known as “Spot,” are AI-powered quadrupedal machines developed to perform high-risk inspection tasks in steel production environments, reducing the need for human exposure to hazardous conditions.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
