US Effectively Bars New Imports of Foreign-Made Robots, Inverters

Imports Effectively Barred as US Broadens Regulatory Clampdown

Korean Robot Stocks Rally on Hopes of a Benefit

The US government has effectively barred new imports and sales of foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robots and power inverters. The move is seen as expanding curbs to keep rapidly advancing Chinese robots and inverters out of US factories, homes and power grids.

The Federal Communications Commission on July 28 classified advanced mobile robots and power inverters made overseas as equipment that poses a national security threat. The measure applies to robots weighing at least 2 kilograms that can sense their surroundings and move, avoid obstacles and navigate routes. It covers humanoid and quadruped robots, as well as some logistics and patrol robots and robot vacuums. Power inverters that convert direct current from solar panels and batteries into alternating current used by power grids and data centers were also included.

Those products will no longer be eligible for new FCC certification. Since most electronic devices sold in the US must obtain FCC approval, the move effectively amounts to a ban on imports and sales.

The FCC said it would allow conditional exceptions for products it determines do not pose national security risks. Products made in US allies such as South Korea and Japan therefore stand a higher chance of winning approval.

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

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