LG Electronics and KT are joining forces to research, develop, and commercialize next-generation service robots in Korea.

LG Electronics and KT announced on the 17th that they signed a business agreement to expand the domestic service robot business at LG Science Park in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, with officials from both companies in attendance, including KT’s Song Jae-ho, Head of AIDX Convergence Business Division, and LG Electronics’ Jang Ik-hwan, Head of BS Business Division.

The two companies announced that they plan to combine their capabilities in robot manufacturing and service sectors to proceed in stages with expanding the discovery of new business opportunities, establishing a cooperative system for next-generation robot research and development, building a platform to strengthen the competitiveness of the domestic service robot industry, and cooperating on government robot projects.

LG Electronics stated that it would enhance its robot solutions by combining its core technological capabilities related to robot solutions with KT's telecommunications network technology and diverse robot business operation know-how.

KT stated that it would commercialize various service robots owned by LG Electronics and cooperate in the development of new robots.

LG Electronics at Incheon International Airport in 2017 LG ClStarting with the pilot operation of the Roy Guidebot, LG is providing various robot solutions by operating seven types of LG CLOi robots, including two types of LG CLOi Servebots, LG CLOi Baristabot, LG CLOi Chefbot, LG CLOi UV-C Bot, a next-generation logistics robot based on autonomous driving, and LG CLOi Carrybot.

Starting with the 'AI Hotel Robot' first introduced in December 2019, KT is proceeding with the commercialization of robots in various fields, including F&B (food and beverage) delivery robots, AI care robots for elderly care services, disinfection robots for infectious disease prevention, and autonomous outdoor delivery robots.

"We look forward to more customers experiencing LG Electronics' customized robot solutions optimized for various spaces through this collaboration," said Jang Ik-hwan, Vice President and Head of the BS Business Division at LG Electronics.

"We expect that through the partnership between LG Electronics, a global leader in the home appliance sector, and KT, a national company with a 130-year history, service robots will become more accessible to customers' daily lives and the domestic robot industry will take a leap forward," said Song Jae-ho, Vice President and Head of KT's AI/DX Convergence Business Division.