Robotics market
South Korea installed 30,000 robots in 2025, still fourth in the world
30,000. That's how many industrial robots the Republic of Korea installed in 2025, according to the International Federation of Robotics, down 1% on the year before.
Korea is the steady one among the big robot markets. IFR says installations have tracked sideways at around 31,000 units a year since 2019, and the country held its place as the fourth-largest market in the world. It also has the densest factory automation anywhere: 1,220 robots per 10,000 employees in 2024.
This page traces the 2025 count, the trend and the outlook to IFR, and explains why a flat installation line and a world-leading density figure can both be true.
Data covers Industrial robot installations in the Republic of Korea in 2025, the 2019 to 2025 trend, and robot density in 2024 (IFR World Robotics 2026 and 2025 releases). Published 2026-10-16. Last reviewed 2026-10-16. Last updated 2026-10-16. Edited by Mike Ramsey / Reliable Media.
The figures and where they come from
Each figure is rated for how safely you can cite it today. Ratings judge current usability, not whether a number was ever correct.
| Figure | What it is | Source | Citation Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30,000 | Industrial robots installed in Korea, 2025 | [A] | High | IFR's rounded figure for the Republic of Korea. |
| -1% | Change from 2024 | [A] | High | A small decline on IFR's own year-on-year basis. |
| Sideways, around 31,000 a year | Trend since 2019 | [A] | High | IFR's description of the 2019 to 2024 run that 2025 continued. |
| Fourth | Rank among the world's robot markets | [A] | High | Behind China, the United States and Japan in 2025. |
| Takes effect in 2027 and 2028 | Automotive investment, per IFR | [A] | Medium | A forward-looking statement in IFR's release, so it carries more uncertainty than the measured count. |
| May grow in 2027 | IFR outlook | [A] | Medium | IFR says "may". Treat it as a possibility the federation flags, short of a forecast number. |
| 1,220 per 10,000 employees | Robot density, 2024 | [B] | High | Robots in operation per 10,000 manufacturing employees, the world's highest, from World Robotics 2025. It measures the installed stock, a different thing from one year's installations. |
Why the numbers disagree
Installations and density measure different things. Installations count robots added in one year; density relates the whole operating stock to the manufacturing workforce. Korea can add a flat 30,000 a year and still top the density table, because years of steady buying have built up a large stock against its workforce.
The density figure is a year older than the installation count. IFR published 1,220 robots per 10,000 employees for 2024 in its World Robotics 2025 edition, and the 2025 density figure comes out separately, so quote each with its own year.
The 2027 upturn is a possibility IFR raises. Its release says new automotive investments come into effect in 2027 and 2028 and that demand may grow in 2027.
How to cite these figures
Cite it as IFR World Robotics 2026: about 30,000 industrial robots installed in the Republic of Korea in 2025, down 1%, the fourth-largest market worldwide.
When you pair it with density, give density its own year: 1,220 robots per 10,000 employees in 2024, the world's highest.
If you mention the 2027 outlook, keep IFR's "may". Its release doesn't put a number on the rebound.
Where people go wrong
Calling Korea a fast-growing robot market on the strength of its density lead. Annual installations have run sideways near 31,000 since 2019.
Mixing years: 2025 installations beside a density figure without saying the density is for 2024.
Presenting the 2027 rebound as a forecast figure. IFR says demand may grow and gives no number.
How we checked
The 2025 count, the change, the 2019 trend, the world ranking and the automotive outlook all come from IFR's World Robotics 2026 global release. The density figure comes from IFR's robot density release for World Robotics 2025, which covers 2024.
We rate the measured figures High and IFR's forward-looking statements Medium, because the outlook is IFR's expectation and can change before 2027.
Full source list
Primary sources, with live links. Every figure above traces to one of these.
- [A]International Federation of Robotics (IFR)September 24, 2026
IFR, "Five Million Robots now Operate in Factories Globally" (World Robotics 2026 Industrial Robots release)
https://ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/news/five-million-robots-now-operate-in-factories-globally - [B]International Federation of Robotics (IFR)April 8, 2026
IFR, "Robot Density Surges in Europe, Asia and Americas" (World Robotics 2025 robot density release)
https://ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/news/robot-density-surges-in-europe-asia-and-americas
Common questions
- How many industrial robots did South Korea install in 2025?
- About 30,000, down 1% on 2024, according to IFR's World Robotics 2026 report. Korea remained the fourth-largest robot market in the world.
- Is Korean robot demand growing?
- Not lately. IFR says installations have trended sideways at around 31,000 units a year since 2019. It adds that new automotive investments take effect in 2027 and 2028 and that demand may grow in 2027.
- Which country has the highest robot density?
- The Republic of Korea, with 1,220 robots per 10,000 employees in 2024, according to IFR's World Robotics 2025 density release.
- How can Korea lead on density if installations are flat?
- Density measures the whole operating stock against the manufacturing workforce. Years of steady installations at around 31,000 a year have built a large stock relative to Korea's workforce.
More data, traced to source
- Korea's robot industry passed 6 trillion won in sales
Korea, the world leader in robot density, has a domestic robot industry of 2,509 firms that has passed 6 trillion won in sales. The source figures behind a market that is rarely traced in Western coverage.
- Robot density statistics and where they come from
The most-cited robot density figures are stale. Here are the current numbers, where each one comes from, and why the global average fell while automation kept rising.
- Japan's robot installations fell 19%, dropping it to third place
Japan installed 36,219 industrial robots, down 19%, and slipped from second to third in the world behind China and the United States, per IFR World Robotics 2026. IFR does not expect a major recovery soon.
- China installed 354,000 robots, almost three in five worldwide
China installed 354,000 industrial robots, up 20%, taking 59% of global installations, per IFR World Robotics 2026. Chinese suppliers kept a majority of their home market, and two sectors that had been booming collapsed.