South Korea opens first military AI transformation base in Pangyo to train robots

South Korea’s Defence Ministry opened the military’s first artificial intelligence (AI) transformation base on Monday (October 12) to develop efficient robotic systems for performing dangerous military tasks. The facility is situated in Pangyo, south of Seoul. It will train humanoid and multi-legged robots using physical AI data and advanced AI models.

The opening ceremony of the facility was attended by nearly 150 officials, including representatives from the science and industry ministries. At the base, the robots will be trained to transport supplies into risky areas, dispose of explosive ordnance and clear land mines, reducing the burden on soldiers and saving them from getting exposure to potentially fatal missions.

Why the project matters?

The ministry stated that the initiative focuses to setup a world-leading defence hub specialising in physical AI, enabling machines to connect with real-world environments. South Korea is set to establish five AI transformation bases under the program across the nation, involving individual military branches and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

One of the facilities will be set up at the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters in Seoul’s Yongsan district. The ministry also intends to deepen collaboration with private tech firms in order to incorporate commercially developed AI systems into military operations.

The move comes as South Korea leans increasingly on automation to offset military personnel shortages driven by its falling birth rate. As Anadolu has previously reported, the country’s military has been ramping up AI adoption to sustain operational readiness despite a shrinking troop base, including testing humanoid robots on naval vessels.

As part of the plan, five AX (AI transformation) bases will be set up across the country, one by each military branch along with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, including a facility at the JCS base in Yongsan Ward, Seoul. This development follows North Korea’s recent launch of several ballistic missiles into the East Sea, the latest in an ongoing series of missile tests by Pyongyang.