Prague, September 22, 2026 – The Czech Republic and the Republic of Korea have taken another concrete step in their scientific and technical cooperation in advanced robotics and manufacturing with the official opening of the Korea–Czech Advanced Robotics Center (KCARC) at the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics (CIIRC) CTU in Prague on September 21, 2026.
The opening ceremony brought together representatives of the Czech and Korean governments, research institutions and industry, including Karel Havlíček, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, Jong-min Ryu, Commercial Attaché, Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Czech Republic, Ondřej Velek, Director of CIIRC CTU, and Yeong-Hoon Cho, President of the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA).
KCARC builds on the bilateral cooperation established through the Memorandum of Understanding on Korea–Czech Technical Cooperation in Robotics, signed in 2024, and the subsequent agreement on the joint establishment and operation of the Advanced Industrial Robot Center. The new center provides a practical framework for turning this cooperation into joint research, technology development, industrial demonstrations and long-term partnerships.
“Advanced robotics will play an increasingly important role in determining the competitiveness of industry. The Czech Republic has a strong industrial base and high-quality research capabilities, while Korea is among the global leaders in robotics and automation. The opening of KCARC is therefore not merely a symbolic continuation of our partnership, but above all the creation of a platform for joint research, technology testing and their deployment in real industrial environments. It is precisely this kind of cooperation that can deliver tangible results for Czech companies,” said Karel Havlíček, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.
From joint research to real-world applications
KCARC is designed as a cooperation hub connecting Korean and Czech technologies, research capabilities and industrial partners in robotics and advanced manufacturing.
The center goes beyond individual research projects. Its activities will connect technology development, field demonstration, talent development and commercialization, creating opportunities for research results and robotics technologies to be tested and validated in real industrial environments.
The Czech Republic and Korea share a strong manufacturing-oriented industrial structure, while bringing complementary strengths to the partnership. Korea has a strong position in robotics manufacturing, artificial intelligence, digital transformation and advanced components. The Czech Republic combines a substantial industrial and manufacturing base with strong research capabilities and close links between universities, research institutions and industry.
“KCARC creates a platform where these complementary strengths can meet in practice. The goal is not only to develop new technologies together, but also to test them, learn from their application in real industrial environments and create opportunities for their wider deployment. The centre will also help develop the next generation of skilled professionals by providing opportunities for students and industry professionals to learn and gain practical experience in advanced robotics,” said Dr. Ondřej Velek, Director of CIIRC CTU.
A platform for research, industry and people
One of KCARC’s key roles will be to support joint Korea–Czech R&D activities and technology exchange. The center will also facilitate demonstrations of robotics technologies at Czech manufacturing sites and create opportunities for companies and research institutions from both countries to develop new partnerships.
For Korean robotics companies, the Czech Republic can provide an entry point to the European industrial market and an environment in which technologies can be validated under real operating conditions. Czech companies, in turn, can gain access to advanced Korean robotics technologies and new opportunities for cooperation.
“We will operate KCARC as a local hub where Korean robotics companies can demonstrate their technologies and create business opportunities,” said Yeong-Hoon Cho, President of the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement. “We will establish a support framework that connects the identification of industry needs with technology matching, local demonstrations, and expansion into the European market.”
From partnership to concrete projects
The opening of KCARC follows a series of steps that have progressively deepened Korea–Czech cooperation in robotics. Since 2024, the two countries and their research institutions have established the framework for joint R&D cooperation and subsequently moved towards the creation of shared infrastructure.
The next phase is already underway. During the opening programme, representatives of KETI and CIIRC CTU presented joint R&D activities supported through Korea–Czech cooperation programmes, including projects focused on advanced robotics and robotic perception.
KCARC strengthens RICAIP’s international partnerships
KCARC is the first permanent center of its kind in Central Europe focused on connecting the Czech and Korean ecosystems in robotics and advanced manufacturing. Its physical location at the RICAIP Testbed Prague at CIIRC CTU further strengthens not only the research capacity of the RICAIP Testbed Prague, but above all RICAIP’s international research partnerships, while also expanding CIIRC’s network of cooperation beyond Europe.
By connecting Czech and European research and industrial environments with partners in Korea, KCARC creates new opportunities for the exchange of expertise and knowledge, joint research and technology development, and the transfer of research results into international practice.
The center thus builds on RICAIP’s role as an international research and innovation environment for advanced manufacturing and creates a new bridge between European and Korean research institutions and industry.
With KCARC now officially open, Korea–Czech cooperation in advanced robotics enters a new phase focused on practical collaboration, joint projects and real-world applications. The center will provide a space for researchers, companies and students from both countries to work together, test new solutions and build partnerships that can turn research and technology into tangible industrial results.
