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A new international robotics center is planned for Prague under a cooperation agreement signed between the Czech Technical University (CTU) and the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA).
The memorandum, signed during a series of bilateral meetings in the Czech capital this week, sets the stage for a strategic facility linking research, education, and industrial development in advanced robotics.
The new robotics center is set to be housed either at the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics (CIIRC, pictured above) or elsewhere on CTU’s campus in Dejvice. The initiative is part of a broader push by both countries to strengthen academic and industrial collaboration, particularly in high-tech fields such as automation, artificial intelligence, and digital manufacturing.
Bridging EU and South Korean innovation
The planned robotics center will serve as a collaborative platform for Czech and Korean researchers, students, and industry leaders. Backed by both countries’ ministries of industry, the project envisions a joint space where public and private sector participants can pursue research, development, and educational initiatives.
CTU will provide the physical space for the center, while South Korea’s KIRIA—under the supervision of the country’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE)—will lead its establishment and oversee operations. The center is designed as a “strategic gateway” between the European Union and South Korea in the robotics sector, facilitating joint research and the exchange of talent and technology.
“This kind of collaboration enables our researchers and students to remain competitive at the global level,” said CTU Rector Vojtěch Petráček in a press release after signing the memorandum. The partnership also includes support for student education, with opportunities for CTU students to gain hands-on experience at the center.
Tomáš Svoboda, Vice Dean of CTU's Faculty of Electrical Engineering, highlighted the university’s strength in areas where robotics intersects with artificial intelligence. He said the center would help expand applied research and offer new opportunities for contract-based industry projects.
Latest advancement in Czech-Korean talks
The robotics agreement was one of several deals signed during a Korean delegation’s visit to Prague this week, led by MOTIE and hosted at the Lichtenstein Palace. While much of the attention focused on planned cooperation in the energy sector—particularly the future expansion of the Dukovany nuclear power plant—this robotics memorandum marked a unique and concrete outcome among a flurry of preliminary agreements.
Although Czechia and South Korea signed nine pre-contracts and three memoranda related to the nuclear project, the highly anticipated contract with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) was not finalized. Its delay was attributed to a court decision halting the signing due to a complaint from French competitor EDF.
Nevertheless, both governments stressed the importance of progressing with industrial cooperation. Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček stated that preparations for the nuclear project would continue immediately after legal obstacles were resolved.
Despite the delay in nuclear deal, the Prague robotics center stands as a tangible sign of deepening ties between the two countries. It is expected to play a key role in both expanding Korea’s presence in European research and strengthening Czechia’s position in emerging technology sectors.
