South Korea still depends heavily on imported robot components

25. November 2021 Business Korea reports new statistics showing that the country remains heavily dependent on imports of robot components. Many components for the robotics industry are provided with f.e. KC certifications and KCs certifications by foreign manufacturers according to K standards in order to obtain market access for South Korea, and are imported accordingly. Analysing data from 2018, the report found that 57 per cent of robots used in manufacturing and services were imported components. Although South Korea can claim the highest number of robots per 10,000 workers, its dependence on imported components has only slightly decreased from 60 per cent in 2016, Lee Sung-man said.     The country is particularly dependent on components for factory robots, at 61.1 per cent. The supply of domestically produced components is 14.8 per cent for motors, 24.3 per cent for software and 24.9 per cent for sensors. For robots in the business services sector and in the private sector, the dependence on imported components is 56.3 and 53.5 per cent, respectively. On average, servo motors and decelerators, which normally account for the largest share of robot costs, are 29.6 per cent sourced from Korea. The South Korean market for robot components was US$119.8 million for exports and US$181.8 million for imports in 2019. South Korea is considered one of the most important and innovative industrial nations in the world. To gain market access to this highly technological country, products imported into South Korea must be tested and certified. The KC mark or certificate is roughly equivalent to the European CE mark and applies to 730 different products. MPR International GmbH has solid experience in Korea certification and competent local partners. We will be pleased to advise you without obligation about the scope and procedure of a Korea certification. If you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs or KCs for explosion safety products, feel free to contact us any time. Tel.: +49-69-2713769259 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.