US Expands Curbs to Chinese Robots, Power Inverters as Korean Shares Jump

Import curbs broaden US regulatory push

Korean robot shares rally on potential gains

The US government has effectively barred new imports and sales of foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robots and power inverters. The move broadens efforts to keep rapidly improving Chinese robots and inverters out of US factories, homes and the power grid.

The Federal Communications Commission on July 28 classified advanced mobile robots and power inverters made overseas as equipment that threatens national security. The measure covers robots weighing 2 kilograms or more that have sensors to detect their surroundings and can move, avoid obstacles and navigate routes. It includes humanoid and quadruped robots, as well as some logistics robots, patrol robots and robot vacuum cleaners. Power inverters that convert direct current from solar panels and batteries into alternating current used by power grids and data centers were also added to the list.

Those products will no longer be eligible for new FCC certification. Because most electronic devices sold in the US must obtain FCC approval, the step amounts to an effective ban on imports and sales.

The FCC said it will allow conditional exemptions for products it determines do not pose a national security risk. That leaves room for products made in US allies such as South Korea and Japan to win approval.

The news lifted Korean robot shares across the board. Angel Robotics surged 29.87% to the daily limit of 20,650 won, while TXR Robotics climbed 24.62%, Now Robotics gained 18.33%, I Robotics rose 12.71%, Everybot advanced 11.10% and Cosmo Robotics added 5.29%.

Kim Eun-jung, Beijing correspondent / Bae Jeong-cheol, reporter, Korea Economic Daily, kej@hankyung.com