South Korea set to build "Robot Land"

South Korea already has a pretty decent claim on being the land of robots, but it looks like the country is now trying to make it official, with it soon set to begin construction on an industrial city designed specifically for the robotics industry. Of course, this so-called "Robot Land" won't be all work an no play, with exhibition halls and, yes, even a stadium for robot competitions planned in addition to the usual research centers and homes for manufacturers and parts suppliers. According to Korea.net, a government committee will pick the site for the city this November, with construction then set to get underway sometime in 2009 (with the help of more than a few robot workers no doubt). While complete details on funding won't be announced until after the site is chosen, it'll apparently cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 billion won (or roughly $530 million), 50 billion won of which is expected to come from the government.

[Via WaziWazi, thanks Daanish]

[dvdchris @ Aug 27th 2007 12:04PM]

I for one welcome our new robot overlords.

[matt @ Aug 27th 2007 12:20PM]

the old clichés are the best, aren't they...

[ethana2 @ Aug 27th 2007 3:00PM]

If they are going to be our overlords, they better bring their ISP's with them. Assuming they did, I'm not sure I'd mind.

[doolittle @ Aug 27th 2007 12:08PM]

If they make a gunslinger robot in Yul Brenner's likeness, I am there :)

[Shadowise @ Aug 27th 2007 12:25PM]

I thought this post was going to be about a theme park!! :(

[MikeG @ Aug 27th 2007 7:52PM]

So did I until I read your comment!

[Xzavier @ Aug 27th 2007 12:27PM]

I think I found Big Foot!

[John @ Aug 27th 2007 12:27PM]

Is anyone else excited and frightened at the prospect of there being a robotic revolt in this city one day?

[Xzavier @ Aug 27th 2007 1:52PM]

Heck... we humans can barley get a revolt going! Maybe the bots can teach us a thing or 2!

[James @ Aug 27th 2007 12:39PM]

This totally reminds me of the old NES game MegaMan...now lets just wait for a robotic genius to go rogue.

[Ron @ Aug 27th 2007 1:11PM]

"Are you Sarah Connor?"

-----
Ron
http://www.flektor-blog.com

[AlexP @ Aug 27th 2007 1:28PM]

Zion!

[AlexP @ Aug 27th 2007 1:28PM]

Erm, nevermind... I think I forgot the name of the first robot city/nation in the Matrix.

[Josh @ Aug 27th 2007 1:32PM]

That picture is terrifying.

[Richard @ Aug 27th 2007 1:35PM]

I know a better name: Westworld.

[tadghostal @ Aug 27th 2007 1:36PM]

Dangit! Doolittle beat me to the West World-related quotes! grrrr. That was really the only reason I clicked this article.

[riggs @ Aug 27th 2007 1:38PM]

oh god...its itchy and scratchy land....someone quick! grab a bunch of cameras!

[Dave @ Aug 27th 2007 1:46PM]

West World anyone????

[kuzu-b @ Aug 27th 2007 2:07PM]

Wait so South Korea is building Japan?

[ethana2 @ Aug 27th 2007 3:02PM]

No, I think those two nations are pretty much even. They're both insane, and they're both better than, well, nearly everywhere else.

[kuzu-b @ Aug 27th 2007 4:07PM]

it was a joke. About robots.

[Master Zach @ Aug 27th 2007 2:53PM]

Law I / A robot may not harm a human or, by inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
Law II / A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law
Law III / A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law
Law IV / "CLASSIFIED"

[Master Zach @ Aug 27th 2007 2:56PM]

Detective Del Spooner: nothing here, just lights and clockwork. Go ahead, you trust 'em if you want to.

IMDB.COM - I, Robot, 2004 Will Smith
http://imdb.com/title/tt0343818/quotes

[Master Zach @ Aug 27th 2007 2:58PM]

I, Robot pwned S. Korea!

[Rainier @ Aug 27th 2007 4:27PM]

This photo looks like a robotic dramatization of the girl thrown into the water scene, from Frankenstein.

[Cyclotron @ Aug 27th 2007 4:52PM]

Itchy and Scratchy land. And for the rest of us who are older than Paris Hilton - WESTWORLD!

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 27th 2007 5:05PM]

-and they both lived happily ever after.

The End.

[bradwarren @ Aug 27th 2007 6:42PM]

When the Koreans find out the park isn't a virtual one inside some MMO they play, the park will be closed faster than a zergling rush.

[Oakman @ Aug 27th 2007 8:42PM]

Well they cant do a worst job of runnung the world than we are. All hail to our robot overlords.

[Oakman @ Aug 27th 2007 8:44PM]

Guess I should have spell checked that!

[Robofan @ Mar 31st 2008 4:41PM]

Robo land is always welcome....Any contacts in the inner circles what kind of technologies the land is planning to develop?