Hyundai Motor’s Korean union warns of humanoid robot plan, sees threat to jobs

SEOUL, Jan 22 (Reuters) – Hyundai Motor’s labour union ​in South Korea ‌warned the automaker on Thursday ‌against deploying humanoid robots without union approval, saying the robots would bring “employment ⁠shocks.”

Hyundai’s plan ‌to deploy humanoid robots starting in ‍2028 has sent its shares rallying to record-highs, but it ​was not welcome ‌news for workers, the union said in an internal letter reviewed by Reuters.

“Remember that without labour–management ⁠agreement, not a ​single robot ​using new technology will be allowed to enter ‍the ⁠workplace,” the union said.

Hyundai Motor did not ⁠immediately comment.

(Reporting by Heekyong Yang ‌and Hyunjoo JinEditing by ‌Ed Davies)