South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Group gifted four unmanned firefighting robots to the nation’s fire service on Monday, with plans to expand the fleet to 100 units, according to company officials.
The donation, presented at the Sudokwon 119 Special Rescue Headquarters in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, included a commitment from Hyundai Chairman Euisun Chung to significantly increase the number of robots deployed nationwide. “We plan to expand the supply of unmanned firefighting robots to 100 units in the future,” Chung stated, as reported by both The Korea Times and The Hankyoreh.
The robots, developed jointly by Hyundai and the Korea Fire Service, are built upon Hyundai Rotem’s electric, multi-purpose unmanned vehicle, the HR-Sherpa, and equipped with remote-controlled fire suppression technology. Two of the donated units have already been deployed to special rescue teams in the 수도권 (Sudokwon – Capital Region) and Yeongnam regions, with the remaining two scheduled for delivery to the Gyeonggi Southern and Chungcheongnamdo fire departments in early March, according to Hyundai.
Chung emphasized the importance of the technology in protecting firefighters, stating, “The sight of firefighters rushing into the fray to save lives reminds us of the values our society must uphold,” and describing the robots as “a new mobility solution that embodies our common goal of saving lives.”
The donation comes as South Korea grapples with the risks faced by its firefighters. According to the National Fire Agency, over the past decade, a total of 1,802 firefighters have been injured or killed in the line of duty. The unmanned robots are intended to minimize firefighter exposure to dangerous situations and enhance both fire suppression and rescue operations.
Kim Seung-ryong, acting commissioner of the National Fire Agency, attended the donation ceremony alongside Hyundai executives. The robots are capable of operating in temperatures up to 800 degrees Celsius, according to reports.
