 |
Robot dog Spot dances to K-pop during Hyundai Motor Group’s press conference at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 5 (local time), one day ahead of the opening of CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics and information technology (IT) exhibition. (Photo courtesy of Yonhap News) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Young Taek] The Hyundai Motor Branch of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) has made it clear that the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) humanoid robots at production sites is unacceptable without prior labor-management agreement.
The stance is widely interpreted as opposition to the planned introduction of Atlas, a humanoid robot developed by Hyundai Motor Group and slated for future use in manufacturing operations.
On January 22, the union stated, “We will never tolerate unilateral decisions made without labor-management agreement,” criticizing the company’s push to introduce AI robots.
Hyundai Motor previously unveiled Atlas at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from January 6 to 9 (local time).
The company has also announced plans to build a robot foundry plant in the United States by 2028, mass-produce Atlas, and deploy the robots across its production facilities.
Commenting on the sharp rise in Hyundai Motor’s share price following the unveiling of Atlas, the union said it felt “unsure whether to laugh or cry,” reflecting growing concerns among workers.
The union warned that the introduction of humanoid robots could lead to job losses and significant restructuring of the labor force.
“From a worker’s perspective, this is not a welcome development under any circumstances,” the union said. “Assuming an average annual salary of KRW 100 million, operating a facility 24 hours a day requires labor costs of KRW 300 million for three workers, whereas robots incur only maintenance costs after the initial purchase. This makes robots an attractive justification for capital seeking long-term profit maximization.”
The union further argued that Hyundai Motor’s plans to deploy AI robots as a means of cutting labor costs are becoming increasingly visible, warning that “not a single robot will be allowed onto the shop floor without labor-management agreement.”
In addition, the union raised concerns over job security amid expanding overseas production.
It claimed that reduced production volumes at domestic plants are the result of output being shifted to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia, United States.
HMGMA currently has production capacity for 300,000 vehicles annually and plans to expand to 500,000 units per year by 2028 in line with rising U.S. sales.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
