Gangnam is embarking on an ambitious plan to transform itself into a hub for robot technology and businesses. (Image courtesy of Gangnam District Office)
SEOUL, Jun. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Gangnam, one of Seoul’s most affluent districts, is embarking on an ambitious plan to transform itself into a hub for robot technology and businesses, officials announced on June 18.
The centerpiece will be the Suseo Robot Cluster, where a robot testing ground, companies, a science museum and robot-friendly infrastructure will be concentrated.
At the heart of the project is the upcoming Robot Plus Test Field spanning over 63,000 square feet in the Suseo neighborhood. Set to open in July, it will provide a dedicated space for small and medium companies to validate newly developed robots before commercialization – a challenge they often face due to lack of testing facilities.
Robots simulating skilled metalworking techniques via AI, automating smartphone component assembly lines, making deliveries, and handling automotive surface treatments will undergo trial runs at the test bed.
Separately, Gangnam is also establishing a “robot street” along Teheran-ro 87-gil, where five delivery robots have been programmed with autonomous navigation to avoid obstacles and pedestrians while servicing six designated buildings.
The district plans to designate 30% of an upcoming business complex in Suseo as rent-controlled space for robot companies. It will also build a robot science museum, robot-themed parks and, from 2027, the Seoul Robot Tech Center research hub on the current site of a public parking lot near Suseo Station.
Any future development around the SRT transit hub will incorporate robot-friendly design elements, creating an integrated precinct melding testing grounds, research facilities, corporate offices, exhibitions and robot-centric infrastructure.
Last July, Gangnam became the first local government in South Korea to enact an ordinance promoting the robot industry. It mandates the district formulate plans to foster robotics growth, with cultivating the sector listed as an official mayoral duty.
“Just as delivery robots cruise along Teheran-ro, we will turn the entire Gangnam district into a robot testing zone,” said Mayor Cho Sung-myung, who hosted the inaugural “Robot Plus Festival” in May showcasing robots for daily use.
The district’s robots-first vision aims to nurture an ecosystem where new technologies can be readily validated and commercialized by startups and established firms alike in a living lab environment.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
