China tightens humanoid patent grip with 60% share - The Korea Herald

Published: Sept. 28, 2026 - 14:48:37

Byun Hye-jin

Add The Korea Herald on Google

• Link copied!

Korea’s patent share falls to 4.6%, the US to 21.8%, as China advances in robot AI and core technologies

Unitree Robotics’ G1 humanoid robot (Unitree Robotics)

Unitree Robotics’ G1 humanoid robot (Unitree Robotics)

China’s widening lead in humanoid robot patents is raising the stakes for South Korea’s push to compete in the fast-growing industry. Across the world’s five major intellectual property offices, known as IP5, China accounted for 60.8 percent of humanoid robot patents as of the first half of 2026, according to Intellectual Property Office data obtained by Rep. Lee Jeong-heon’s office. The US held 21.8 percent and Korea 4.6 percent.

China’s share rose from 51.8 percent in 2024, while Korea’s fell from 6.3 percent and the US share declined from 27.3 percent.

Figures for applications filed in the first half of this year show China submitted 1,584, compared with 113 from the US and 35 from Korea. In 2025, China filed 2,573 applications, against 640 from the US and 97 from Korea.

The office cautioned that recent application counts remain provisional because of the standard 18-month delay before publication.