Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea

This article is by Yoon Seung-jin and read by an artificial voice.

Adding a silver to her already historic medal collection, Korea's "Ice Princess" Choi Min-jeong has officially rewritten the nation's Olympic history books.

At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, the short track speed skater finished second in the 1,500-meter event behind fellow Korean Kim Gil-li. The silver brought her career total to seven Olympic medals — four gold and three silver — making her the most decorated athlete in Korean Olympic history. She had previously captured gold in the 3,000-meter relay with Kim on Wednesday.

"I wanted to finish with a smile, but thinking about everything I've been through brought a lot of emotions. I'm happy to have wrapped up this Olympics well," the 27-year-old told reporters after her historic 1,500-meter race in Milan.

Choi's historic journey began in 2004, when she first stepped onto the ice at the age of 6. Initially, it was just one of many hobbies she had at the time, but the sensation of speed fascinated her more than anything else. She grew up idolizing Jin Sun-yu, Choi recalled in an interview with Olympics.com, like many fans of the legendary skater who achieved a triple crown in the 1,000-meter, 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter relay at the 2006 Torino Games.

Inspired by Jin's explosive skating, Choi honed her skills through the competitive youth circuits in Seongnam, Gyeonggi.

Unlike many who struggle with the transition to the senior circuit, Choi was a breakout star. Making her senior debut at just 16, she immediately joined the national team's top tier and became the world champion at the 2015 World Championships in her first appearance. She successfully defended her title the following year, signaling the arrival of a new era with a poker face and coldly efficient racing style that earned her her nickname.

"Although my results were good, I still had a lot to learn," Choi said in an interview in 2015. "Watching the older skaters try their best and push through injuries made me wonder if I could ever compete with that kind of spirit."

Her early success was followed by misfortune in the 2017 season.

Her prospects of appearing on home ice at the PyeongChang Games the following year took a hit, with her signature 1,500-meter race ending prematurely after falling, only to rack up penalties in the 500- and 1,000-meter events. With the disappointing results, a ticket to the Olympics in Korea was anything but certain.

Redemption came in the national selection races, where she swept all eight events she entered.

At her first Olympics, Choi experienced both heartbreak and glory. In the 500-meter final, she crossed the line in second place but was disqualified for interference. Despite the setback, she tapped that same resilience that got her to the Games and responded with composure to capture the gold in the 1,500-meter before leading Korea to another gold in the 3,000-meter relay.

The shimmer of that success dimmed in 2021, however, when she found herself at the core of a scandal involving teammate Shim Suk-hee.

Leaked messages from 2018 show Shim constantly criticizing her fellow skaters, using vulgar language and suggesting that she conspired to cause a collision with Choi in the 1,000-meter final at PyeongChang to eliminate her rival.

The controversy hit Choi hard, entangling her in a bitter conflict with someone she once described as "the older colleague I trust and rely on the most." After the allegations surfaced, Choi's side released a statement saying she was under extreme stress due to Shim's repeated attempts to contact her and strongly demanded a thorough investigation.

The investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence to confirm any intentional collision, noting it could have been an act of self-protection. However, Shim was found to have tarnished her teammate's dignity through derogatory remarks and was handed a two-month suspension. As a result, Shim missed the 2022 B...

This article is by Shin Ha-nee and read by an artificial voice.

There is little debate that boy band Stray Kids stands among the most commercially formidable acts in contemporary pop. The group has sold out stadiums from Los Angeles to Paris, sells millions of album copies, made history as the first act ever to debut eight consecutive albums at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and recently ranked second on the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's Global Artist Chart.

And yet, at home, a familiar question lingers alongside each new milestone: will Stray Kids ever score a true domestic hit — one that drifts from Seoul's taxis, streets and stores like the country's everyday soundtrack?

The question is not necessarily about one group, but a shifting national mood in general. While K-pop's global presence has wildly expanded, Korean listeners, especially casual ones, appear to have been drifting away from idol music, a trend that has been debated by industry observers for several years now.

But how consequential is that drift? If overseas revenue is what increasingly drives the business, how much does the domestic market really matter?

On paper, the answer seems straightforward. Exports of K-pop albums and overseas tours account for a substantial — often majority — share of major agencies' earnings, not to mention the global scene's much bigger room for growth than Korea's limited market size. Yet the matter might not be that simple, as culture is not something that is governed solely by accounting logic, industry insiders say.

Are Koreans losing interest in K-pop?

If last year's music industry metrics were anything to go by, the answer may be yes, though the shift is as much felt as measured. Songs that accumulate hundreds of millions of views on YouTube do not always enjoy broad name recognition among the general public, unlike the cross-generational hits that once defined the idol era.

Several different factors, both global and domestic, came into play: increasingly fragmented content consumption habits, a diversifying streaming landscape and a strategic pivot by K-pop agencies toward cultivating core fandoms rather than courting casual listeners.

Korea's album sales export rose 3.4 percent on year in revenue last year, reaching a new peak at $301.7 million, with Japan, China and the United States as the three biggest importers, according to Korea Customs Service. However, total album sales figures declined by 7.5 percent, marking a second consecutive annual drop, weighed down by shrinking domestic demand even as exports climbed.

Girl groups, which used to dominate local streaming charts earlier in the decade, have seen their market share narrow. According to data from the Korea Music Content Association's chart data platform Circle Chart, five idol groups — aespa, NewJeans, IVE, Big Bang and BoyNextDoor — ranked among the top 10 artists across the 400 most-streamed songs last year, with a combined market share of about 14.1 percent. In 2024, six teams — NewJeans, aespa, IVE, i-dle, Le Sserafim and Riize — made it into the list, accounting for 21.7 percent.

On the domestic streaming platform Melon, singer-songwriter Woodz topped the annual chart with his 2023 hit "Drowning," boosted by a viral live performance video. Aside from aespa's "Whiplash" (2024) and G-Dragon's solo tracks, other most-streamed songs include singer Hwang Ka-ram "I'm Firefly" (2024) and Zo Zazz's "Don't you know" (2025), notably domestic hits with relatively little global traction. Among the 100 most-streamed songs, the number of "dance" tracks — a category encompassing most idol releases — within the top 100 most-streamed songs slipped from 45 to 38.

Why the mood shift?

Circle Chart's music data journalist Kim Jin-woo attributed the shift to the rise of soloists like Woodz and Zo Zazz on the streaming market, the relative absence of popular rookie girl groups, and the high-profile absence of NewJeans in his July report. He also pointed ...

This article is by Lim Sun-young and read by an artificial voice.

As climate change pushes up sea temperatures and squeezes harvests, Korea's beloved dried seaweed, known as gim, is getting more expensive — and food companies are betting that growing it on land could steady supply and lower prices.

This method allows farmers to grow gim year-round in controlled indoor facilities rather than rely on ocean conditions. Industry sources said that the land-based farming technology needed for this method has entered the pilot stage of development, with plans for commercialization.

The average retail price of gim stood at 1,403 won ($1) per 10 sheets, more than 140 won per sheet, on Thursday, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation.

At the start of 2024, one sheet cost approximately 100 won, meaning that prices have risen by 40 to 50 percent in two years, as exports increased while supply failed to keep pace.

Prices exceeded 1,500 won per 10 sheets in late January for the first time on record.

Laver, the seaweed used to make gim, grows best in seawater at temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). While laver spores form naturally in the ocean, farmers do not rely on nature alone and instead grow the spores themselves in controlled conditions before attaching them to nets.

When ocean temperatures drop in October and November, farmers place the seeded nets in the ocean. About 20 days later, they harvest the seaweed and repeat the cycle several times through May.

Climate change, however, has shortened that growing season.

Warmer autumn waters have reduced the number of suitable cultivation days and lowered output. Last year, sea temperatures in the Yellow Sea and South Sea remained close to 25 degrees Celsius until early October.

"Farmers already use most coastal areas suitable for laver cultivation, so expanding farming sites is not easy," said Kim Jang-kyun, a professor in the department of marine science at Incheon National University.

Farmers therefore have to explore land-based alternatives to ensure stable supplies and prices.

Although no company has yet brought land-grown laver to market, Pulmuone and Daesang have invested in related research and development (R&D) for three to five years.

The two companies were selected last year for a government-led R&D project that will provide them with 35 billion won ($24 million) in funding through 2029.

Land-based farming recreates ocean-like conditions, including temperature and salinity, in indoor facilities or large tanks.

According to Pulmuone and Daesang, both have successfully produced fresh land-grown laver to a size suitable for sale and are now working to improve the technology for consistent quality and large-scale production.

"The taste of land-grown laver does not differ significantly from conventional sea-farmed laver," a Pulmuone representative said. "Since we can create ideal growing conditions on land, the seaweed may contain more protein, which could enhance its taste."

Opposition from traditional sea farmers remains a key hurdle, but Pulmuone and Daesang said they plan to share the technology with the farmers to promote coexistence and gradually expand land-based cultivation.

"If land-based farming enables large-scale production, it could expand export opportunities but still operate alongside ocean farming," Prof. Kim said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Shin Ha-nee and read by an artificial voice.

There is little debate that boy band Stray Kids stands among the most commercially formidable acts in contemporary pop. The group has sold out stadiums from Los Angeles to Paris, sells millions of album copies, made history as the first act ever to debut eight consecutive albums at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and recently ranked second on the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's Global Artist Chart.

And yet, at home, a familiar question lingers alongside each new milestone: will Stray Kids ever score a true domestic hit — one that drifts from Seoul's taxis, streets and stores like the country's everyday soundtrack?

The question is not necessarily about one group, but a shifting national mood in general. While K-pop's global presence has wildly expanded, Korean listeners, especially casual ones, appear to have been drifting away from idol music, a trend that has been debated by industry observers for several years now.

But how consequential is that drift? If overseas revenue is what increasingly drives the business, how much does the domestic market really matter?

On paper, the answer seems straightforward. Exports of K-pop albums and overseas tours account for a substantial — often majority — share of major agencies' earnings, not to mention the global scene's much bigger room for growth than Korea's limited market size. Yet the matter might not be that simple, as culture is not something that is governed solely by accounting logic, industry insiders say.

Are Koreans losing interest in K-pop?

If last year's music industry metrics were anything to go by, the answer may be yes, though the shift is as much felt as measured. Songs that accumulate hundreds of millions of views on YouTube do not always enjoy broad name recognition among the general public, unlike the cross-generational hits that once defined the idol era.

Several different factors, both global and domestic, came into play: increasingly fragmented content consumption habits, a diversifying streaming landscape and a strategic pivot by K-pop agencies toward cultivating core fandoms rather than courting casual listeners.

Korea's album sales export rose 3.4 percent on year in revenue last year, reaching a new peak at $301.7 million, with Japan, China and the United States as the three biggest importers, according to Korea Customs Service. However, total album sales figures declined by 7.5 percent, marking a second consecutive annual drop, weighed down by shrinking domestic demand even as exports climbed.

Girl groups, which used to dominate local streaming charts earlier in the decade, have seen their market share narrow. According to data from the Korea Music Content Association's chart data platform Circle Chart, five idol groups — aespa, NewJeans, IVE, Big Bang and BoyNextDoor — ranked among the top 10 artists across the 400 most-streamed songs last year, with a combined market share of about 14.1 percent. In 2024, six teams — NewJeans, aespa, IVE, i-dle, Le Sserafim and Riize — made it into the list, accounting for 21.7 percent.

On the domestic streaming platform Melon, singer-songwriter Woodz topped the annual chart with his 2023 hit "Drowning," boosted by a viral live performance video. Aside from aespa's "Whiplash" (2024) and G-Dragon's solo tracks, other most-streamed songs include singer Hwang Ka-ram "I'm Firefly" (2024) and Zo Zazz's "Don't you know" (2025), notably domestic hits with relatively little global traction. Among the 100 most-streamed songs, the number of "dance" tracks — a category encompassing most idol releases — within the top 100 most-streamed songs slipped from 45 to 38.

Why the mood shift?

Circle Chart's music data journalist Kim Jin-woo attributed the shift to the rise of soloists like Woodz and Zo Zazz on the streaming market, the relative absence of popular rookie girl groups, and the high-profile absence of NewJeans in his July report. He also pointed ...

This article is by Sarah Chea and read by an artificial voice.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday struck down President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs as unlawful, a ruling that is likely to sow fresh uncertainty among countries such as Korea that had pledged hundreds of billions of dollars under newly negotiated trade accords.

By a 6–3 vote, the Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not confer upon the president the authority to impose tariffs. The ruling affirms the reasoning of lower federal courts, which had likewise found the measures to exceed the bounds of executive power.

The decision effectively dismantles the legal foundation of the tariff regime Trump introduced among countries, citing what he characterized as America's staggering trade deficit.

That regime combined a blanket 10 percent tariff on trading partners worldwide with additional country-specific "reciprocal" duties.

Korea, initially hit with a 25 percent levy, in November secured a reduction to 15 percent after committing to invest $350 billion in the United States.

Trump, however, recently threatened to restore the tariff to 25 percent, citing delays in the promised investments.

This article is by Sarah Chea and read by an artificial voice.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday struck down U.S. President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs as unlawful, a ruling that is likely to sow uncertainty among countries like Korea that had pledged hundreds of billions of dollars under recently negotiated trade deals.

By a 6-3 vote, the Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not confer upon the president the authority to impose tariffs. The ruling affirms the reasoning of lower federal courts, which had likewise found the measures to exceed the bounds of executive power.

The decision effectively dismantles the legal foundation of the tariff regime Trump introduced among countries since April last year, citing what he characterized as America's staggering trade deficit.

That policy included a blanket 10 percent tariff on imports from trading partners worldwide, with additional country-specific "reciprocal" duties.

Korea, initially hit with a 25 percent levy, in November last year secured a reduction to 15 percent after committing to invest $350 billion in the United States.

Trump, however, recently threatened to raise the tariff back to 25 percent, citing delays in the promised investments.

This article is by Kim Ji-ye and read by an artificial voice.

Warning: The article may include spoilers of Netflix's series "The Art of Sarah"

In Netflix's recently released mystery series "The Art of Sarah," the enigmatic Sarah Kim keeps viewers on edge, with her past remaining elusive and difficult to pin down. Actor Shin Hae-sun, who plays the lead, candidly shared that the character's ambiguity even made her second-guess her decision to take on the project while shooting.

"To be honest, it wasn't so much physically exhausting as it was genuinely difficult," said Shin during a roundtable interview at a cafe in central Seoul on Friday. "What made it hard was that I couldn't clearly pinpoint [who Sarah Kim truly was]."

"It was the first time I played a character with such an ambiguous emotional arc," she added. "All the characters I've portrayed before had very clear and defined emotional trajectories."

Despite the challenges, the series has seen strong results, ranking No. 3 on the platform's global Top 10 chart for non-English shows. Following its release on Feb. 13, just ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, Shin said she was flooded with congratulatory messages.

"I really thought it was my birthday," Shin said. "During the Lunar New Year holiday, I received more messages saying how much people enjoyed the show than the usual holiday greetings, which really surprised me."

"Even though I've been working consistently, I suddenly got a wave of congratulatory messages, almost as if I were just debuting. What I found especially interesting was that people weren't just saying, 'I really enjoyed 'The Art of Sarah'' but rather, 'Congratulations.' That was really nice to hear."

Directed by Kim Jin-min, who was behind the series "Extracurricular" (2020) and "My Name" (2021), the series opens with a dead body discovered frozen in a sewer in Cheongdam-dong, one of Seoul's wealthiest neighborhoods in the southern Gangnam District. The victim is initially believed to be Sarah Kim, the head of the Asian branch of fictional luxury brand Budoir — a woman whose name is widely known, yet whose past remains impossible to trace. As detective Park Mu-gyeong, played by Lee Jun-hyuk, investigates the case, the mystery deepens with increasingly unexpected twists.

The character's ambiguity also led Shin to take a different approach to her performance, far from her normal "routine."

"As I'm not good at looking at the bigger picture, I tend to focus more on my own part," Shin said. "So usually, I like to have a clear plan for how I'm going to approach a character before I accept it. But with 'The Art of Sarah,' it wasn't like that."

Still, the intriguing story and her personal curiosity about how it would all turn out drew her in.

"Rather than thinking, 'I'll do this' or 'I'll do that' while preparing, I decided to just go to the set and figure it out in the moment," she said, adding that she prepared only abstract ideas for the character.

This lack of a concrete plan made certain scenes particularly challenging, especially an interrogation room sequence with Lee's detective character.

"As an actor, not having a clear plan for how to approach a scene is one of the most unsettling things," Shin said. "Like, I have to deliver lines in front of the camera, but I have no idea how I'm going to do it while not having a plan at all, which is incredibly nerve-racking. And that's exactly how the entire interrogation room scene was to me."

She added that the pressure squeezed out any capacity to assess whether the scene turned out well, and she was just relieved to finish shooting it.

The series portrays Sarah Kim through multiple identities, from a luxury brand seller to a person in a fake marriage, leaving lingering questions about her true self, even in its final moments, echoing Mu-gyeong's line: "What is your name?"

While the show maintains that ambiguity, Shin offered one clear answer about her character's past: Sarah Kim has additional identities n...

This article is by Ahn Hyo-seong and read by an artificial voice.

The country's antitrust watchdog has formally launched sanctions procedures against major flour millers over suspicions of collusion on flour price hikes.

The secretariat of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said in an examiner's report — the agency's equivalent of a prosecutor's indictment — sent to the companies on Friday that the agency would seek not only fines but also a "price reset order" that would roll prices back to pre-collusion levels.

The FTC said Friday that it delivered the examiner's report on Thursday to seven flour manufacturers and sellers: Daesun Flour Mills, Daehan Flour Mills, Sajo Donga One, Samyang, Samhwa Flour Mills, CJ CheilJedang and Hantop.

The report summarizes alleged illegal conduct identified during an investigation and recommends proposed measures. A decision on legal violations as well as the final level of penalties, including fines and corrective orders are determined after deliberation by the FTC's full commission.

The agency investigated the flour case from October 2025 to February 2026. It formed a five-member task force, including the division chief in charge, and wrapped up the probe at an unusually fast pace.

According to the findings, the seven firms colluded for six years, from November 2019 to October 2025, on flour prices and volume allocations. The companies account for 88 percent of Korea's business-to-business flour market. The FTC estimated collusion-related sales revenue at around 5.8 trillion won ($4 billion).

Under relevant laws, the FTC can impose fines of up to 20 percent of the sales tied to the collusion. If applied at the maximum rate, the fines could total up to 1.16 trillion won for the seven companies. The examiners said they viewed the case as a "very serious" violation and recommended corrective orders and fines, among other measures.

The commission earlier imposed 408.3 billion won in fines on sugar refiners CJ CheilJedang, Samyang and Daehan Sugar, applying a 15 percent base penalty rate. The three companies' collusion-related sales amounted to 3.29 trillion won.

"That collusion by flour makers and others is a cancerous presence that hinders national economic development," President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday. "Heavy sanctions that far exceed the gains from collusion must follow to root out these nasty crimes."

The FTC said it also included a price reset order among the proposed measures, requiring firms to lower collusion-distorted prices to normal levels. If the full commission ultimately approves such an order, it would be the first time in 20 years since the 2006 flour collusion case that the measure has been applied. In that case, flour makers cut prices by around 5 percent.

"The agency included the measure because we judged that effective restoration is needed for items closely tied to people's livelihoods," said Yu Seong-uk, the FTC's director general for investigation management.

Still, whether the order is ultimately imposed remains uncertain. The prerequisites are stringent, requiring the effects of the collusion to exist at the time of the final deliberation. In many cases, once collusion is uncovered, the conduct stops and companies may voluntarily cut prices.

After the respondent companies submit written opinions to exercise their right to a defense, the FTC will convene a full commission meeting and make a final decision on fines and other measures. The deadline for written submissions is eight weeks from the submission of the examiner's report.

"The commission would move as quickly as possible to hold the meeting once legally required defense procedures are completed, noting that the case is directly linked to consumer prices," said a FTC official. "We would actively consider ways to ensure swift and strict enforcement without exception against unfair practices that harm people's livelihoods."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter ...

This article is by Na Sang-hyeon and read by an artificial voice.

Volvo has joined the intensifying electric vehicle price war in Korea, slashing the price of its compact electric SUV to around 30-million-won ($20,694).

Volvo Car Korea said Friday that it will lower prices for its all-electric SUV models EX30 and EX30 Cross Country (EX30CC) starting March 1. The EX30, a small SUV, comes in two trims: Core and Ultra.

The company cut the price of the EX30 Core, which usually costs 47.51 million won, by 7.61 million, bringing it down to 39.91 million. It reduced the EX30 Ultra and EX30 Cross Country Ultra by 7 million won each, pricing them at 44.79 million won and 48.12 million won.

With government subsidies in Seoul, the effective purchase price of the EX30 Core could fall to about 36.7 million won. The EX30 Ultra would cost around 41.58 million won, and the Cross Country Ultra about 42.54 million won. Final prices vary by region because local subsidies differ.

Lee Yoon-mo, CEO of Volvo Car Korea, said the company made the decision after "intense discussions" with headquarters, reflecting the importance of the Korean market.

"We hope to lead the popularization of premium electric vehicles through the EX30 and EX30CC models, which have price competitiveness, and do our best to help customers experience Volvo's brand value at a lower cost," said Lee.

Competition in Korea's electric vehicle market has grown increasingly fierce. Tesla Korea cut 3 million won from the price of its Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive Premium on Dec. 31 last year. Kia reduced prices for its EV5 Long Range and EV6 by 2.8 million won and 3 million won, respectively. China's BYD has also entered the market with compact electric cars priced in the 20 million won range, stepping up pressure with aggressive pricing.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Kim Su-min and read by an artificial voice.

Actuators, or the joints that dictate how precisely a robot can move, have become the new battleground in the race to build humanoid robots, pushing major Korean conglomerates to expand into a sector once dominated by smaller firms.

The components, which combine motors, reducers, controllers and sensors, determine the extent — including the force, speed and angles — to which a robot can walk, grip objects and maintain its balance. They also account for 30 to 50 percent of a humanoid robot's manufacturing cost.

As humanoid robots grow more complex, they require more actuators. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said last November that future units could each possess more than 50 actuators to become what he described as "extremely complex" structures. Tesla's Optimus, unveiled in 2022, uses 28 actuators. A next-generation version would likely nearly double that number.

Conglomerates accelerate push into actuator production

Korean conglomerates are moving to secure a foothold.

LG Electronics, which introduced its humanoid robot Cloid at CES 2026 in January, launched a new robotics actuator brand called Axiom. The company is developing the products under its component solutions division, targeting a launch next year.

LG Electronics plans not only to supply actuators for Cloid but also to secure orders from external clients, allowing the company to apply decades of motor durability design and mass production expertise.

Hyundai Mobis has already joined the supply chain by securing a contract to supply actuators for Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot Atlas and plans to mass-produce 30,000 units in 2028, leveraging its large-scale manufacturing experience and quality control capabilities. Boston Dynamics is an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics has also entered the actuator sector by investing in Alva Industries, a Norwegian manufacturer of ultracompact high-performance electric motors, building on its precision component manufacturing expertise.

Large corporations have entered the actuator industry, which was previously led by small- and medium-sized enterprises and startups due to its profitability and growth potential.

High margins and rapid market growth

Actuators account for 30 to 50 percent of the materials cost for humanoid robots, according to Interact Analysis, a Britain-based market research firm, but some industry observers place the figure near 60 percent.

The market is also expanding rapidly. Industry insiders expect global demand for humanoid robot actuators to rise from $150 million in 2024 to $9.86 billion in 2031 — an average annual growth rate of 80 percent.

Meanwhile, geopolitical shifts may create opportunities for Korean firms.

Supply chain realignment reshapes competition

The Trump administration is considering an executive order this year to tighten robotics industry regulations and reduce reliance on Chinese components, according to U.S. political online newspaper Politico.

"As demand for humanoid robots surges while more companies call for supply chains that exclude China, a single-supplier system can no longer handle the volume," said Kang Sung-jin, an analyst at KB Securities. "There is a clear shift toward securing multiple suppliers at the same time."

But challenges remain. The Korea International Trade Association said in January that localization rates for robot materials and components in Korea remain in the 40 percent range.

Prototypes of Hyundai Motor Group's Atlas and LG Electronics' Cloid, both of which were displayed at CES 2026, also used foreign-made actuators.

In the global actuator market, leading players include Harmonic Drive Systems and Nabtesco of Japan, Maxon of Switzerland and Wittenstein of Germany.

"To grow the domestic robot market, actuator companies must strengthen their own competitiveness and expand cooperation with robot manufacturers," said Kwon Myung-jun, an analyst at Yuanta Securities.

This article was...