Korea opens its first humanoid data factory: 12 teleoperated robots at KIMM in Daejeon

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) opened Korea’s first AI Humanoid Data Factory on November 3, 2026 at KIMM’s headquarters in Daejeon. The facility runs 12 humanoid robots that human operators control remotely; the movements and task information generated are recorded and used to train AI models. KIMM describes it as the country’s first data production facility dedicated to bipedal humanoids, covering arm, leg and full-body tasks.

Why it matters: Korean humanoid research has relied heavily on foreign platforms such as Unitree’s G1. The factory gives the national programme its own source of task data, on the model already used in China and Japan.

How does the data loop work?

Operators teleoperate the robots through tasks such as picking up and moving objects. The recorded data trains AI models, which are tested on the physical robots, and the results feed the next version, KIMM said. The goal is models that run on different robot platforms, including Korea’s K-Humanoid standard platform. KIMM plans to add robots and task types over time; in May, Asia Business Daily reported a longer-term plan for an open data factory eventually running more than 100 robots at once.

Who uses it?

First, KIMM’s own humanoid, KAIROS. KIMM president Ryu Seog-hyeon said the factory would accelerate KAIROS through industry-academia-research collaboration. Money Today reported in June that the target is to put KAIROS on KG Mobility’s vehicle assembly and inspection lines by 2030. Comparable state-backed sites are Japan’s JHRTI centre in Kanto and China’s robot data factories.