Korea to build robot theme parks| Korea.net News

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Korea will build two robot theme parks, the first of their kind in the world, as part of efforts to boost the competitiveness of the local robot industry, the government said Tuesday (Nov. 13).The robot theme parks will be built in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, and Masan, a port city on the south coast, at the combined cost of 1.48 trillion won ($1.61 billion), the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said.Construction will begin in 2009 for completion by 2013, and the government will provide 50 billion won to each city, it said."The two cities will be developed as meccas for the country's robot industry, while having amusement park areas, exhibition halls and stadiums where robots can compete in various events," the ministry said.Korea considers robotics to be one of its key growth industries, emphasizing "service robots" that can clean homes and provide entertainment.Korea's robotics industry ranks sixth in the world in terms of competitiveness and technology, according to the ministry.Its technology level stands at roughly 80 percent of that of Japan.The local market has expanded at an annual rate of 30 to 40 percent for the past several years, reaching the value of 766 billion won in 2006.